Synthesis and characterization of an important intermediate for biocatalysts
Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 08:30
in Health & Medicine
(Phys.org)—Cytochrome P450 (CYP) is sometimes referred to as the "Rosetta Stone" of iron-containing oxygenases, because of its ubiquity as a biocatalyst for various reactions, including drug metabolism and synthesis of biological molecules. Importantly, CYP catalyzes carbon-hydrogen hydroxylation reactions, cleaving some of the most difficult carbon-hydrogen bonding structures. While CYP is well studied, scientists are eager to understand the ferryl intermediates formed during hydroxylation in an effort to fine-tune catalytic reactions as well as seek out other biocatalysts to react with carbon-hydrogen bonds that are typically unreactive.