Potential energy surfaces for reaction catalyzed by metalloenzymes from quantum chemical computations

Abstract

For several decades quantum mechanical (QM) computational methods have been developed and refined so that it was possible to extend their applicability field enormously. Today, they are used generally to supplement experimental techniques because the theory also affords deeper understanding of molecular processes that cannot be obtained from experiments alone. Due to their favorable scaling when compared to the ab initio methods, density functional theory (DFT) approach allows the treatment of very large systems such as the biomolecules. Thus, now it is possible, for instance, to study the difficult and critical reactions catalyzed by enzymes in biological systems. Here, a brief account of the studies performed on different metalloenzymes is given, focusing on methods and models used to describe their reaction mechanisms. © 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.