reduktaasiin

Reduktaasiin is the Finnish term used to refer to enzymes that catalyze reduction reactions, commonly known in English as reductases. These enzymes transfer electrons or hydrogen atoms from electron donors such as NADH or NADPH to acceptor molecules, lowering the oxidation state of the substrate. Reduktaasiin belong to the broader family of oxidoreductases (EC class 1) and are involved in a wide range of physiological processes, including metabolism, biosynthesis, detoxification, and response to environmental stress.

Most reduktaasiin use cofactors such as NADH, NADPH, FAD, or FMN to shuttle electrons, often via flavin or iron-sulfur centers. Mechanistically, they may perform hydride transfer, single-electron transfers, or combinations thereof. The direction of the reaction hinges on cellular redox conditions and substrate availability, allowing these enzymes to participate in both catabolic and anabolic pathways as well as in detoxification and xenobiotic processing.

The term covers a diverse set of enzymes, including carbonyl reductases (reducing ketones or aldehydes to alcohols, frequently NADPH-dependent), aldo-keto reductases (AKRs), and various reductases involved in nitrogen, sulfur, and other element cycles (for example nitrate and nitrite reductases). Reduktaasiin can operate in different cellular compartments, such as the cytosol, mitochondria, chloroplasts, or peroxisomes, depending on the organism and enzyme.

Relevance and applications: reduktaasiin play central roles in energy metabolism, biosynthesis of complex molecules, and detoxification of drugs and pollutants. They are important in pharmacology for drug metabolism, in industrial biocatalysis for producing chiral alcohols, and in bioremediation strategies targeting environmental contaminants.