Questions in the Chemical Enzymology of MAO

Abstract

We have structure, a wealth of kinetic data, thousands of chemical ligands and clinical information for the effects of a range of drugs on monoamine oxidase activity in vivo. We have comparative information from various species and mutations on kinetics and effects of inhibition. Nevertheless, there are what seem like simple questions still to be answered. This article presents a brief summary of existing experimental evidence the background and poses questions that remain intriguing for chemists and biochemists researching the chemical enzymology of and drug design for monoamine oxidases (FAD-containing EC 4.1.3.4).

Keywords

• chemical mechanism
• kinetic mechanism
• oxidation
• protein flexibility
• cysteine modification
• reversible/irreversible inhibition