2010/06/07 by Olga Khersonsky and Dan S. Tawfik · 4 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Materials Science · #Biochemical Acid Research Studies #Enzyme Structure and Function #Protein Structure and Dynamics
paper · doi:10.1146/annurev-biochem-030409-143718
openalex publication_date 2010/06/07 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
Many, if not most, enzymes can promiscuously catalyze reactions, or act on substrates, other than those for which they evolved. Here, we discuss the structural, mechanistic, and evolutionary implications of this manifestation of infidelity of molecular recognition. We define promiscuity and related phenomena and also address their generality and physiological implications. We discuss the mechanistic enzymology of promiscuity--how enzymes, which generally exert exquisite specificity, catalyze other, and sometimes barely related, reactions. Finally, we address the hypothesis that promiscuous enzymatic activities serve as evolutionary starting points and highlight the unique evolutionary features of promiscuous enzyme functions.