"Invisible" protein structure explains the power of enzymes

A research group at Umeå University has managed to capture and describe a protein structure that, until now, has been impossible to study. The discovery lays the base for developing designed enzymes as catalysts to new chemical reactions for instance in biotechnological applications. The result of the study is published . Enzymes are extraordinary biocatalysts able to speed up the cellular, chemical reactions several million times. This increase of speed is completely necessary for all biological life, which would otherwise be limited by the slow nature of vital chemical reactions. Now, a research group at the Department of Chemistry has discovered a new aspect in enzymes that, in part, explains how enzymes manage their tasks with unmatched efficiency and selectivity. So-called high-energy states in enzymes are regarded as necessary for catalysing of chemical reactions.