AMB Express 2014-01-01

Michael hydratase alcohol dehydrogenase or just alcohol dehydrogenase?

Verena Resch, Jianfeng Jin, Bi-Shuang Chen, Ulf Hanefeld

Index: AMB Express 4 , 30, (2014)

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Abstract

The Michael hydratase - alcohol dehydrogenase (MhyADH) from Alicycliphilus denitrificans was previously identified as a bi-functional enzyme performing a hydration of α,β-unsaturated ketones and subsequent oxidation of the formed alcohols. The investigations of the bi-functionality were based on a spectrophotometric assay and an activity staining in a native gel of the dehydrogenase. New insights in the recently discovered organocatalytic Michael addition of water led to the conclusion that the previously performed experiments to identify MhyADH as a bi-functional enzyme and their results need to be reconsidered and the reliability of the methodology used needs to be critically evaluated.