STRUCTURAL STUDIES ON THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN METAL-IONS AND BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES

The essential role of metal ions in biology is stressed by structural investigations on two metalloenzymes: human carbonic anhydrase (CA) an d Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) The X-ray structure of CA complex with histamine affords a satisfactory explanation of the mechanism of activation of CA. The high resolution (1.02 Angstrom crystal structure of a mutant monomeric Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase gives relevant info rmation on the mechanism of the catalytic activity of the native dimer ic enzyme and on the reduced activity of the monomer.