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A cofactor is a non-protein chemical compound or metallic ion that is required for an enzyme's role as a catalyst (a catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction). Cofactors can be considered "helper molecules" that assist in biochemical transformations.
For example, an enzyme that catalyzed this reaction would be an oxidoreductase: A – + B → A + B – In this example, A is the reductant (electron donor) and B is the oxidant (electron acceptor). In biochemical reactions, the redox reactions are sometimes more difficult to see, such as this reaction from glycolysis:
In redox biocatalysis, the nicotinamide cofactor (NAD(P)H or NAD(P)+) can act as an electron donor or acceptor by releasing or accepting a hydride. The cofactor must be used in the reaction either in stoichiometric amounts leading to inhibition and economic issues, or in catalytic amounts coupled with an in situ regeneration system.
This type of redox reaction is often discussed in terms of redox couples and electrode potentials. Atom transfer – An atom transfers from one substrate to another. For example, in the rusting of iron , the oxidation state of iron atoms increases as the iron converts to an oxide , and simultaneously, the oxidation state of oxygen decreases as ...
Cytochromes are redox-active proteins containing a heme, with a central iron (Fe) atom at its core, as a cofactor. They are involved in the electron transport chain and redox catalysis . They are classified according to the type of heme and its mode of binding .
PQQ also appears to be essential in some other eukaryotic proteins, albeit not as the direct electron carrier. The mammalian lactate dehydrogenase requires PQQ to run but uses NADH as the direct redox cofactor. It seems to speed up the reaction by catalyzing the oxidation of NADH via redox cycling. [12]
Multiple copies of three different enzymes compose a supramolecular structure that coordinates a four-step process converting the α-keto acid pyruvate to the thioester (with coenzyme A) of acetate, as well as electron transfer (redox) reactions that yield NADH. Five cofactors participate in the reactions of the complex. E1 is pyruvate ...
In reactions involving donation of a hydrogen atom, oxygen is reduced to water (H 2 O) or hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2). Some oxidation reactions, such as those involving monoamine oxidase or xanthine oxidase, typically do not involve free molecular oxygen. [1] [2] The oxidases are a subclass of the oxidoreductases. The use of dioxygen is the ...