BIOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATION OF BACTERIAL AROMATIC EXTRADIOL DIOXYGENASES INVOLVED IN BIODEGRADATION PROCESSES

The current knowledge of the structure-function relationships in bacte rial aromatic extradiol cleavage dioxygenases involved in biodegradati on processes are reviewed. The active metal ion coordination is discus sed on the basis of the biophysical studies performed to date. Compari son between extradiol and intradiol cleaving dioxygenases allows us to discuss the differences in the active site structure and catalytic me chanism between the two classes of aromatic ring cleavage dioxygenases .