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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Author Spotlight: Characterizing Novel Enzymes from Extremophiles and Common Pathogens to Understand DNA Repair and Replication
Published on: July 5, 2024
The role of dynamic enzyme assemblies and substrate channelling in metabolic regulation
Lee J Sweetlove1, Alisdair R Fernie2
1Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK. lee.sweetlove@plants.ox.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Transient physical association between enzymes appears to be a cardinal feature of metabolic systems, yet the purpose of this metabolic organisation remains enigmatic. It is generally assumed that substrate channelling occurs in these complexes. However, there is a lack of information concerning the mechanisms and extent of substrate channelling and confusion regarding the consequences of substrate channelling. In this review, we outline recent advances in the structural characterisation of enzyme assemblies and integrate this with new insights from reaction-diffusion modelling and synthetic biology to clarify the mechanistic and functional significance of the phenomenon.
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