The Reaction Mechanism of the Enzyme-Catalyzed Central Cleavage ofβ-Carotene to Retinal

Abstract

Seeing things as they really are: The enzyme catalyzing the central cleavage of β-carotene (1) to retinal (2) is not, as previously thought, a dioxygenase. Incubation of the substrate analogue α-carotene in the presence of highly enriched ¹⁷ O₂ and H₂¹⁸ O revealed a monooxygenase mechanism.