Soluble methane monooxygenase: activation of dioxygen and methane

Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2002 Oct;6(5):568-76. doi: 10.1016/s1367-5931(02)00366-6.

Abstract

The mechanisms by which soluble methane monooxygenase uses dioxygen to convert methane selectively to methanol have come into sharp focus. Diverse techniques have clarified subtle details about each step in the reaction, from binding and activating dioxygen, to hydroxylation of alkanes and other substrates, to the electron transfer events required to complete the catalytic cycle.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alkanes / chemistry
  • Binding Sites
  • Catalysis
  • Electron Transport
  • Hydroxylation
  • Kinetics
  • Methane / chemistry*
  • Methylococcaceae / enzymology
  • Models, Molecular
  • Oxygen / chemistry*
  • Oxygenases / chemistry*
  • Oxygenases / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Quantum Theory
  • Solubility
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Alkanes
  • Oxygenases
  • methane monooxygenase
  • Methane
  • Oxygen