title: Making light work of enzyme catalysis: protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase.
abstract: In the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway, the enzyme protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (POR) catalyses a key light-driven reaction that triggers a profound transformation in plant development. Because POR is activated by light, it can provide information on the way in which light energy can be harnessed to power enzyme reactions and it presents us with a unique opportunity to study catalysis at low temperatures and on ultrafast timescales that are not accessible for most analyses of enzyme function. Recent advances in our understanding of the catalytic mechanism of POR illustrate why it is an important generic model for studying enzyme catalysis and reaction dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. d.j.heyes@shef.ac.uk
authors.forename: Derren J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Heyes
authors.forename: C Neil
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Hunter
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003624:Darkness; D008027:Light; D008958:Models, Molecular; D044925:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors / Q000737:chemistry*; D010777:Photochemistry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011521:Protochlorophyllide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011521:Protochlorophyllide; D044925:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors; C023886:protochlorophyllide reductase