Beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase

beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase
Identifiers
EC number 1.14.99.36
CAS number 37256-60-3
Databases
IntEnz IntEnz view
BRENDA BRENDA entry
ExPASy NiceZyme view
KEGG KEGG entry
MetaCyc metabolic pathway
PRIAM profile
PDB structures RCSB PDB PDBe PDBsum
Gene Ontology AmiGO / EGO

In enzymology, a beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (EC 1.14.99.36) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

beta-carotene + O2 \rightleftharpoons 2 retinal

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are beta-carotene and O2, whereas its product is retinal.

This enzyme belongs to the family of oxidoreductases, specifically those acting on paired donors, with O2 as oxidant and incorporation or reduction of oxygen. The oxygen incorporated need not be derive from O miscellaneous. The systematic name of this enzyme class is beta-carotene:oxygen 15,15'-oxidoreductase (bond-cleaving). Other names in common use include beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase, carotene dioxygenase, and carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase. This enzyme participates in retinol metabolism. It has 2 cofactors: iron, and Bile salt.

In general, carnivores are poor converters of ionine-containing carotenoids, and pure carnivores such as cats and ferrets lack beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase and cannot convert any carotenoids to retinal (resulting in none of the carotenoids being forms of vitamin A for these species).

References