An
oxygenase is any
enzymeEnzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called substrates, and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, called the products. Almost all processes in a biological cell need enzymes to occur at...
that
oxidizesRedox describes all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation number changed....
a
substrateIn biochemistry, a substrate is a molecule upon which an enzyme acts. Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions involving the substrate. In the case of a single substrate, the substrate binds with the enzyme active site, and an enzyme-substrate complex is formed. The substrate is transformed into one or...
by transferring the
oxygenOxygen Oxygen Oxygen (acid, literally "sharp", from the taste of acids) and -γενής (-genēs) (producer, literally begetter) is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O...
from molecular oxygen O
2 (as in air) to it. The oxygenases form a class of
oxidoreductaseIn biochemistry, an oxidoreductase is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of electrons from one molecule to another .- Reactions :...
s; their
EC numberThe Enzyme Commission number is a numerical classification scheme for enzymes, based on the chemical reactions they catalyze....
is EC 1.13 or EC 1.14.
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An
oxygenase is any
enzymeEnzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called substrates, and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, called the products. Almost all processes in a biological cell need enzymes to occur at...
that
oxidizesRedox describes all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation number changed....
a
substrateIn biochemistry, a substrate is a molecule upon which an enzyme acts. Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions involving the substrate. In the case of a single substrate, the substrate binds with the enzyme active site, and an enzyme-substrate complex is formed. The substrate is transformed into one or...
by transferring the
oxygenOxygen Oxygen Oxygen (acid, literally "sharp", from the taste of acids) and -γενής (-genēs) (producer, literally begetter) is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O...
from molecular oxygen O
2 (as in air) to it. The oxygenases form a class of
oxidoreductaseIn biochemistry, an oxidoreductase is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of electrons from one molecule to another .- Reactions :...
s; their
EC numberThe Enzyme Commission number is a numerical classification scheme for enzymes, based on the chemical reactions they catalyze....
is EC 1.13 or EC 1.14.
Oxygenases were discovered in 1955 simultaneously by two groups,
Osamu Hayaishiis a Japanese biologist and a professor at Osaka Bioscience Institute.- Birth and education :Osamu Hayaishi was born in Stockton, California, U.S.A, in 1920. He completed his M.D. from Osaka University in 1942.- Academic career :...
from Japan and Howard S. Mason from the US.
There are two types of oxygenases:
- Monooxygenases, or mixed function oxidase
Mixed function oxidase is the name of a family of oxidase enzymes which each of the two atoms of oxygen in O2 is used for a different function in the reaction....
, transfer one oxygen atom to the substrate, and reduce the other oxygen atom to waterWater is an ubiquitous chemical substance that is composed of hydrogen and oxygen and is essential for all known forms of life.In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam. Water covers 71%...
.
- Dioxygenases, or oxygen transferases, transfer both atoms of molecular oxygen (O2) onto the substrate.
Among the most important monooxygenases are the
cytochrome P450 oxidaseCytochrome P450 is a very large and diverse superfamily of hemoproteins found in all domains of life. Cytochromes P450 use a plethora of both exogenous and endogenous compounds as substrates in enzymatic reactions...
s, responsible for breaking down numerous chemicals in the body.