Pure Appl Chem. 2011 Jul 08;83(8):1555-1565. doi: 10.1351/PAC-CON-11-02-05.
Pure and applied chemistry. Chimie pure et appliquee
John P Richard
PMID: 23505326 PMCID: PMC3596839 DOI: 10.1351/PAC-CON-11-02-05
Deprotonation of carbon and decarboxylation at enzyme active sites proceed through the same carbanion intermediates as for the uncatalyzed reactions in water. The mechanism for the enzymatic reactions can be studied at the same level of detail as for nonenzymatic reactions, using the mechanistic tools developed by physical organic chemists. Triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) catalyzed interconversion of D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate is being studied as a prototype for enzyme catalyzed proton transfer, and orotidine monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC) catalyzed decarboxylation of orotidine 5'-monophosphate is being studied as a prototype for enzyme-catalyzed decarboxylation.