skvaleeniepoksidaasientsyymiä
Squalene epoxidase, also known as squalene monooxygenase, is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of cholesterol and other sterols in eukaryotic organisms. Its primary function is to catalyze the oxidative desaturation of squalene, a C30 triterpene, into 2,3-oxidosqualene. This reaction is the first committed step in the sterol biosynthetic pathway and is essential for the production of all steroid molecules.
The enzyme utilizes molecular oxygen and a reducing agent, typically NADPH, to carry out the epoxidation. It