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John T. Groves
Princeton University
NSF9810248
Norcarane Reveals A Radical Mechanism for Cyt P450
Cytochrome P450 is the only heme protein in
nature with the ability to hydroxylate simple
alkanes. In collaboration with Professor Paul R.
Ortiz de Montellano and postdoctoral research
associate Karine Auclaire at UCSF, Princeton
researchers Professor John Groves, postdoctoral
research associate Zhengbo Hu and research staff
member Dorothy Little have provided new insights
into the mechanism of these hydrocarbon oxidation
processes. With the diagnostic molecular probe
norcarane, products indicative of a radical
intermediate with a lifetime ranging from 16 ps to
52 ps were detected during the oxidation of
norcarane by P450cam (CYP101), P450BM3
(CYP102), CYP2B1, and CYP2E1. The results
provide clear support for the involvement of a twostate, radical rebound mechanism. The study,
which is one of the core projects of the NSF
Environmental Molecular Science Institute CEBIC,
has provided new information into the ways
bacteria degrade hydrocarbons in the environment.
OH
P450
krebound
O2
krearr
OH
OH
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 6020-6027