Arabidopsis det2 mutants are small dark-green dwarfs displaying pleiotropic defects in light-regulated development during multiple stages of the plant life cycle. The DET2 gene encodes a protein that shares approximately 40% sequence identity with mammalian steroid 5alpha-reductases and is implicated in the synthesis of a class of plant steroids, the brassinosteroids. Here we show that the DET2...

To facilitate access to electronic resources for all researchers working in the field of P450 proteins and P450-containing systems, a WorldWide Web server has been established called The Directory of P450-containing Systems at < http://www.icgeb.trieste.it/p450/ >. Currently it contains the most up-to-date list of sequences of both the P450 superfamily and proteins mediating electron transfer t...

Phytobilins are linear tetrapyrrole precursors of the light-harvesting prosthetic groups of the phytochrome photoreceptors of plants and the phycobiliprotein photosynthetic antennae of cyanobacteria, red algae, and cryptomonads. Previous biochemical studies have established that phytobilins are synthesized from heme via the intermediacy of biliverdin IX alpha (BV), which is reduced subsequently...

Diflavin reductases are essential proteins capable of splitting the two-electron flux from reduced pyridine nucleotides to a variety of one electron acceptors. The primary sequence of diflavin reductases shows a conserved domain organization harboring two catalytic domains bound to the FAD and FMN flavins sandwiched by one or several non-catalytic domains. The catalytic domains are analogous t...

The maleylacetate reductases from Pseudomonas aeruginosa RHO1 and Alcaligenes eutrophus JMP134 were tested for activity and affinity to various maleylacetates as well as dechlorinating properties. The dechlorinating activity and the kcat/Km values revealed high-level similarity of these reductases to that of Pseudomonas sp. strain B13.

Synthesis of imidazolium carboxylate compounds was efficiently achieved by electrochemical reduction of imidazolium precursors under very mild conditions.

In a continuing study of the biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanisms governing indole-3-acetic acid (auxin) formation, we report the isolation and initial characterization of three distinct indole-3-acetaldehyde reductases from cucumber seedlings. These enzymes catalyze the reduction of indole-3-acetaldehyde to indole-3-ethanol with the concomitant oxidation of NAD(P)H to NAD(P)+. Two of...