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Updated: Aug 6, 2025

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
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Enzymatic Hydroxylation of Aliphatic C-H Bonds by a Mn/Fe Cofactor
Magan M Powell1, Guodong Rao2, R David Britt2
1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Abstract:
Manganese cofactors activate strong chemical bonds in many essential enzymes. Yet very few manganese-dependent enzymes are known to functionalize ubiquitous carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds, and those that catalyze this important reaction display limited intrinsic reactivity. Herein, we report that the 2-aminoisobutyric acid hydroxylase from Rhodococcus wratislaviensis requires manganese to functionalize a C-H bond possessing a bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) exceeding 100 kcal/mol. Structural and spectroscopic studies of this enzyme reveal a redox-active, heterobimetallic manganese-iron active site that utilizes a manganese ion at the locus for O 2 activation and substrate coordination. Accordingly, this enzyme represents the first documented Mn-dependent monooxygenase in biology. Related proteins are widespread in microorganisms suggesting that many uncharacterized monooxygenases may utilize manganese-containing cofactors to accomplish diverse biological tasks.
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