Flavin metamorphosis: cofactor transformation through prenylation.

Flavin metamorphosis: cofactor transformation through prenylation.
Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2018 Oct 13;47:117-125
Authors: Leys D
Abstract
Prenylated flavin (prFMN) is a recently discovered cofactor that underpins catalysis in the ubiquitous microbial UbiDX system. UbiX acts as a flavin prenyltransferase while UbiD is a prFMN-dependent reversible (de)carboxylase. The extensive modification of flavin by prenylation, and the consecutive oxidation to the prFMNiminium azomethine ylide, leads to cofactor metamorphosis. While prFMN is no longer able to perform N5-based classical flavin chemistry, it is capable of forming cycloadducts with dipolarophiles, long-lived C4a-based radical species as well as undergoing extensive light driven isomerization. An ever-expanding range of distinct prFMN forms hints at the possibility of novel prFMN driven biochemistry yet to be discovered.
PMID: 30326424 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Current Opinion in Chemical Biology - October 13, 2018 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Leys D Tags: Curr Opin Chem Biol Source Type: research