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Related Concept Videos

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide02:44

Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide

Alkenes are converted to 1,2-diols or glycols through a process called dihydroxylation. It involves the addition of two hydroxyl groups across the double bond with two different stereochemical approaches, namely anti and syn. Dihydroxylation using osmium tetroxide progresses with syn stereochemistry.
Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones01:17

Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones

In the presence of oxidizing agents, phenols are oxidized to quinones. Quinones can be easily reduced back to phenols using mild reducing agents. The electron-donating hydroxyl group enhances the reactivity of the aromatic ring, enabling oxidation of the ring even in the absence of an α hydrogen.
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox property is crucial in...
Radical Autoxidation01:20

Radical Autoxidation

The oxidation of an organic compound in the presence of air or oxygen is called autoxidation. For example, cumene reacts with oxygen to form hydroperoxide. Autoxidation involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. Many organic compounds are susceptible to autoxidation—especially ethers in the presence of oxygen, which form hydroperoxides. Even though this reaction is slow, old ether bottles contain small amounts of peroxide, which leads to laboratory explosions during ether...
Phase I Oxidative Reactions: Overview01:19

Phase I Oxidative Reactions: Overview

Phase I biotransformation, or functionalization, is a crucial chemical process that converts drugs and other xenobiotics into more water-soluble forms, facilitating expulsion from the body. It involves oxidative, reductive, and hydrolytic reactions that add or unveil polar functional groups on lipophilic substrates. Key players in phase I reactions are the mixed-function oxidases. Situated in liver cell microsomes, these enzymes predominantly carry out drug metabolism. They require molecular...
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Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes are specialized organelles present in fungi, plant, and animal cells. It can vary in number, size, morphology, and activity depending on the type of tissue and the nutritional state of the cell. For example, cells with active lipid metabolism, such as adipocytes, neurons, and hepatocytes, have more peroxisomes than other cells in the body. Besides their primary role in breaking down complex organic molecules, peroxisomes can also synthesize specific macromolecules and participate in...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Cell-free Biochemical Fluorometric Enzymatic Assay for High-throughput Measurement of Lipid Peroxidation in High Density Lipoprotein
07:29

Cell-free Biochemical Fluorometric Enzymatic Assay for High-throughput Measurement of Lipid Peroxidation in High Density Lipoprotein

Published on: October 12, 2017

Cholesterol oxidase: biotechnological applications.

Loredano Pollegioni1, Luciano Piubelli, Gianluca Molla

  • 1Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze Molecolari, Università degli studi dell'Insubria, Varese, Italy. loredano.pollegioni@uninsubria.it

The FEBS Journal
|October 22, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Cholesterol oxidase, a bacterial enzyme, catalyzes key reactions in cholesterol breakdown. Its diverse applications span biocatalysis, diagnostics, and pest control, with ongoing research exploring new uses.

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Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Cell-free Biochemical Fluorometric Enzymatic Assay for High-throughput Measurement of Lipid Peroxidation in High Density Lipoprotein
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Published on: March 25, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Enzymology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cholesterol oxidase is a bacterial FAD-containing flavooxidase.
  • It catalyzes the oxidation and isomerization of cholesterol.
  • Its structure-function relationships and applications have been extensively studied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the structural and functional characterization of cholesterol oxidase.
  • To highlight its diverse applications as a biological tool.
  • To discuss new physiological roles and future research directions.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of cholesterol oxidase from various sources.
  • Protein engineering to improve enzyme properties.
  • Structural and functional characterization.

Main Results:

  • Cholesterol oxidase has been successfully applied in biocatalysis, diagnostics, and as an insecticidal agent.
  • New physiological roles, including virulence and antifungal sensing, have been discovered.
  • Protein engineering has enhanced enzyme properties and understanding of structure-function relationships.

Conclusions:

  • Cholesterol oxidase is a versatile enzyme with established and emerging applications.
  • Continued research is expected to uncover novel uses for this flavooxidase.
  • Understanding its structure-function relationships is key to expanding its utility.