Evolution of bioinorganic motifs in P450-containing systems

Abstract

The choice of bioinorganic motifs by Nature results in a spectacular variety of active-site structures even within the same protein family. Here, we use the concept of the bioinorganic motif to discuss the function and evolution of P450-containing and other related systems. Apart from P450, these systems include a FAD flavoprotein or domain, a FMN domain, ferredoxins and cytochrome b(5). Analysis of available complete genomes can shed light on what an ancestral P450-containing system could be.