Metallo-enzyme catalysis

Abstract

All organisms depend upon metallo-enzymes. The dependence arises from the inability of individual organic side-chains of proteins to activate molecules such as H2, N2, CH4 and CO and their weakness in hydrolysing many simple compounds such as many peptides, phosphates, even urea. The metal ion sites have been found to be 'designed' for selective uptake and catalytic activity. In this article a few examples will be used to illustrate these points. For more details of all the examples see the reference at the end of this article to Messerschmidt et al. (2001).