Virtuelle (Nano) Welten PDB Molecule of the Month 81: Cytochrome p450

Synthetic Wizards

Cytochrome p450 enzymes also play a number of essential roles in the synthesis of normal cellular compounds. For instance, special cytochrome p450 enzymes are built to perform chemical steps in the construction of steroids, vitamins A and D, and lipid-like eicosanoid molecules involved in signaling. The enzyme shown here on the left is a fungal cytochrome p450 that performs a step in sterol synthesis (PDB entry 1ea1). A similar enzyme in our cells is needed for the synthesis of cholesterol. The enzyme complex on the right provides electrons for the reaction (PDB entry 1e6e).