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).