Enzyme Chemistry Impact and applications

As the first edition of this book was going through the publication process, a revolution was taking place in the technologies available for the study of enzymes. The techniques of molecular biology, especially in genetic engineering of organisms and in site specific mutagenesis of genes, were established and were being brought into use to solve many problems in in enzymology. Added to these fundamental and applied science, not least advances the possibility of generating catalysts from antibodies has become a topic of major interest. These major innovations have changed the emphasis of much bioorganic research; whereas in the past, the protein was often the 'sleeping partner' ina study, its detailed function is now the major focus of scientific interest. Similarly in industry, the potential of genetically manipulated organisms to satisfy the needs for the production of chemicals and foodstuffs has been widely recognised. The second edition of 'Enzyme Chemistry, Impact and Applications' takes on board these new develop­ ments whilst maintaining the overall aims and views of the first edition. Many of the chapters have been completely rewritten to take account of advances in the last five years especially with regard to the impact of biologically based technologies. Although the book continues to approach its subject matter from the point of view of the chemist, the increased interdisciplinary content of much modern science will be obvious from the discussion.

Contributors.- Preface.- 1 Infant Enzyme Chemistry.- 2 The Mechanistic Basis of Enzyme Catalysis.- 2.1 The mechanistic approach.- 2.2 Concepts of catalysis.- 2.3 Describing a mechanism.- 2.4 Kinetics: the measure of catalysis.- 2.5 Stereochemistry and specificity.- 2.6 Stereochemistry and mechanism.- 2.7 Entropy and enzymic catalysis.- 2.8 Acid-base catalysis.- 2.9 Linear free-energy relationships and enzymic reactions.- 2.10 Enzymic efficiency.- 2.11 Examples of intramolecular catalysis.- 2.12 Transition state analogues.- 2.13 Multiple binding sites.- 2.14 Biomimetic chemistry.- 2.15 Conclusion.- References.- 3 Chemical Models of Selected Coenzyme Catalyses.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Model investigations of nicotinamide coenzymes.- 3.3 Flavin catalyses.- 3.4 Catalyses relating to vitamin B1 and analogues.- 3.5 Pyroxidal catalyses.- 3.6 Catalyses of thiol coenzymes.- 3.7 Conclusion.- References.- 4 Selectivity in Synthesis - Chemicals or Enzymes?.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Problems overcome.- 4.3 Logic and analogy in the synthetic uses of enzymes and micro-organisms.- 4.4 Enzymes and chemical reagents in ‘competition’.- 4.5 Late-stage functional-group modification.- 4.6 Biomimetic chemistry in synthesis.- 4.7 Enzymes in organic solvents.- 4.8 Advances in protein chemistry and molecular biology.- 4.9 Conclusions.- References.- 5 Enzymes As Targets for Drug Design.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Case studies in drug discovery.- 5.3 Recent developments and their application to inhibitor design.- References.- 6 The Impact of Metal Ion Chemistry on Our Understanding of Enzymes.- 6.1 Introduction and general chemical principles.- 6.2 The transition elements iron and copper.- 6.3 Transition metal ions.- 6.4 Main group elements.- 6.5 Some toxic metals.- 6.6 Metal ions as drugs.- 6.7Modern physical methods.- 6.8 Conclusions 262 References.- 7 The Enzymology of The Biosynthesis of Natural Products.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Recent advances in the study of biosynthetic enzymes.- 7.3 Terpenoid cyclases.- 7.4 Problems and prospects 298 References.- 8 Enzymes in The Food Industry.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Amylases and starch hydrolysis.- 8.3 Enzymes acting on glucose and oligosaccharides.- 8.4 The plant cell wall and its breakdown.- 8.5 Industrial applications of plant cell wall degrading enzymes.- 8.6 Exogenous enzymes in cheese making.- 8.7 Conclusions 348.- References.- 9 Enzymology And Protein Chemistry in The Wider Area of Biology.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Studies of enzymes by techniques of molecular biology.- 9.3 Theoretical treatments of enzyme catalysis.- 9.4 Protein structure, homology and genetic relationships.- 9.5 Interactions between proteins and DNA.- 9.6 Novel catalysts.- 9.7 Apolipoprotein B.- 9.8 Receptors.- 9.9 Conclusions 372.- References.