Enzymes involved in biodegradation are very important in the recycling of enormous quantities of carbon coming from natural, industrial and agricultural sources. A team from the University of Leeds (Elena Kovaleva and Arwen Pearson) have been using SOLEIL PROXIMA I beamline in order to study the role of protein dynamics in the catalytic reaction of an enzyme which activates molecular oxygen in order to catalyse the opening of an aromatic ring of a substrate. Opening of an aromatic ring, a chemically difficult reaction, is a key stage in many biodegradation pathways, and is particularly important because of the carcinogenic nature of many aromatic compounds.
Initiating the enzyme reaction in crystal form and “freezing” the reaction at different stages in its pathway has enabled this team to take “snapshots” of the catalytic mechanism. This fundamental research will lead to a better understanding of the catalysis methods of these key enzymes in natural biodegradation.
Two of the crystals studied on PX1 beamline. Their shape may remind you of a famous Parisian monument…
