kofaktoridena
Cofactors are non‑protein chemical compounds or metallic ions that bind to enzymes and are essential for their biological activity. They can be classified into two main categories: organic coenzymes, which are derived from vitamins or other metabolic intermediates, and inorganic cofactor groups, which are often metal ions such as iron, zinc, magnesium, or copper. Some cofactors form covalent, non‑covalent, or transient associations with the protein. Cofactors may act as electron carriers, participate in substrate binding, provide catalytic groups, or stabilize the enzyme structure.
Organic cofactors, known as coenzymes, include nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺/NADP⁺), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), coenzyme A,
Inorganic metal ions often occupy sites in metalloenzymes. For instance, the iron atom in cytochromes allows
Cofactors are indispensable for metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA replication,