Specificity and mechanism of carbohydrate demethylation by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases.

ABSTRACT: Degradation of carbohydrates by bacteria represents a key step in energy metabolism that can be inhibited by methylated sugars. Removal of methyl groups, which is critical for further processing, poses a biocatalytic challenge because enzymes need to overcome a high energy barrier. Our structural and computational analysis revealed how a member of the cytochrome P450 family evolved to oxidize a carbohydrate ligand. Using structural biology, we ascertained the molecular determinants of substrate specificity and revealed a highly specialized active site complementary to the substrate chemistry. Invariance of the residues involved in substrate recognition across the subfamily suggests that they are critical for enzyme function and when mutated, the enzyme lost substrate recognition. The struc

SUBMITTER: Robb CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6292453 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature