Abstract

PEREZ-GONZALEZ, Arely; GOMEZ-PERALTA, Juan Iván; GARZA-ORTIZ, Ariadna  and  BARBA-BEHRENS, Noráh. The relevance of molybdenum in biological systems and its role in the mononuclear enzymes with the Moco cofactor. Educ. quím [online]. 2012, vol.23, n.1, pp.23-32. ISSN 0187-893X.

Molybdenum is widely spread among the living systems mainly due to its redox properties. The redox reactions comprise one electron transfer as well as migration of atoms like sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen. Molybdenum is the structural element of two proteinic cofactors that are present in several biological systems: FeMoco, where the polynuclear structure contains a 4Fe-4S and Mo-3Fe-4S clusters; Moco cofactor contains one atom of molybdenum. The former cofactor is present in the enzymes called nitrogenases that are responsible of the nitrogen fixation. Moco is present in a large group of enzymes that are classified in three main families: the xantine oxidase, sulfite oxidase and DMSO reductase. Deficiencies or biochemical abnormalities due to molybdenum and the cofactors that contain this metal have a main contribution in the preservation of life. The molybdenum cofactors are responsible for the nitrogen cycle; additionally in humans, these deficiencies of Mo are associated with neurological damage, xantinuria and gout or hyperuricemia. This paper contains a detailed revision of new evidences in the role of molybdenum and Moco in the biological systems.

Keywords : molybdenum; Moco; FeMoco; xantine oxidorreductase; molybdenum cofactor deficiency (MoCD); sulphite oxidase (SO); aldehyde oxidoreductase (AOR); hyperuricemy; gout.

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