Cytochrome P-450-CO and substrates: lessons from ligand binding under high pressure

An overview of the application of high-pressure studies on the carbon monoxide complex of cytochrome P-450 is given. Different approaches to characterize ligand binding steps, the conformational states and substates and the compressibility of the ligand-bound complex are reviewed. A particular focus is the effect of substrates on these properties. It is shown that substrate mobility, compressibility and water accessibility are interrelated and may have functional meaning.