Biomaterial Database

A discussion on the activation of oxygen in chemistry and enzymology. 1998

M Akhtar, and P Lee-Robichaud, and J N Wright, and M E Akhtar

School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010100	Oxygen	An element with atomic symbol O, atomic number 8, and atomic weight [15.99903; 15.99977]. It is the most abundant element on earth and essential for respiration.	Dioxygen,Oxygen-16,Oxygen 16
D010545	Peroxides	A group of compounds that contain a bivalent O-O group, i.e., the oxygen atoms are univalent. They can either be inorganic or organic in nature. Such compounds release atomic (nascent) oxygen readily. Thus they are strong oxidizing agents and fire hazards when in contact with combustible materials, especially under high-temperature conditions. The chief industrial uses of peroxides are as oxidizing agents, bleaching agents, and initiators of polymerization. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 11th ed)	Peroxide
D003577	Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System	A superfamily of hundreds of closely related HEMEPROTEINS found throughout the phylogenetic spectrum, from animals, plants, fungi, to bacteria. They include numerous complex monooxygenases (MIXED FUNCTION OXYGENASES). In animals, these P-450 enzymes serve two major functions: (1) biosynthesis of steroids, fatty acids, and bile acids; (2) metabolism of endogenous and a wide variety of exogenous substrates, such as toxins and drugs (BIOTRANSFORMATION). They are classified, according to their sequence similarities rather than functions, into CYP gene families (>40% homology) and subfamilies (>59% homology). For example, enzymes from the CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 gene families are responsible for most drug metabolism.	Cytochrome P-450,Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P-450-Dependent Monooxygenase,P-450 Enzyme,P450 Enzyme,CYP450 Family,CYP450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P-450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P-450 Families,Cytochrome P-450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P450,Cytochrome P450 Superfamily,Cytochrome p450 Families,P-450 Enzymes,P450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450,Cytochrome P 450 Dependent Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme System,Cytochrome P 450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450 Families,Cytochrome P 450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Superfamily,Enzyme, Cytochrome P-450,Enzyme, P-450,Enzyme, P450,Enzymes, Cytochrome P-450,Enzymes, P-450,Enzymes, P450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450-Dependent,P 450 Enzyme,P 450 Enzymes,P-450 Enzyme, Cytochrome,P-450 Enzymes, Cytochrome,Superfamily, CYP450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P-450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P450
D004798	Enzymes	Biological molecules that possess catalytic activity. They may occur naturally or be synthetically created. Enzymes are usually proteins, however CATALYTIC RNA and CATALYTIC DNA molecules have also been identified.	Biocatalyst,Enzyme,Biocatalysts
D005609	Free Radicals	Highly reactive molecules with an unsatisfied electron valence pair. Free radicals are produced in both normal and pathological processes. Free radicals include reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). They are proven or suspected agents of tissue damage in a wide variety of circumstances including radiation, damage from environment chemicals, and aging. Natural and pharmacological prevention of free radical damage is being actively investigated.	Free Radical
D013481	Superoxides	Highly reactive compounds produced when oxygen is reduced by a single electron. In biological systems, they may be generated during the normal catalytic function of a number of enzymes and during the oxidation of hemoglobin to METHEMOGLOBIN. In living organisms, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE protects the cell from the deleterious effects of superoxides.	Superoxide Radical,Superoxide,Superoxide Anion