Why are zinc phosphatases multinuclear?

Abstract

Macrocyclic polyamines are a new class of multifunctional molecules (e.g., complexing agents for cations, onions and neutral molecules). Recently, a new insight into zinc enzyme chemistry has been achieved by studies of multinuclear zinc(II) complexes with macrocyclic polyamines. These complexes serve as both the structural and functional models for the active centers of multinuclear zinc(II)-containing phosphatases (e.g., alkaline phosphatase, and protein serine/threonine phosphatase-1) and have given answers to some basic questions that surround the intrinsic properties of metal ions in those enzymes.