Class A flavoprotein monooxygenases: Checkpoint and new horizons

Flavoprotein monooxygenases (FPMOs) form a broad superfamily of enzymes that catalyze the oxyfunctionalization of a wide range of substrates, playing a crucial role in biocatalysis and sustainable chemistry. Among them, Class A enzymes are the most extensively studied, with well-established knowledge of their reaction mechanisms, stereoselectivity, and substrate scope. However, the full potential of this enzyme class remains largely untapped, as many valuable catalysts have yet to be identified and characterized. In this review, we employ a structural biology approach to provide an up-to-date overview of current knowledge on class A FPMOs. We first discuss the overall structure and catalytic mechanism. Then we present a systematic overview of all the known enzymes categorizing them biochemically as either prototypical or atypical and illustrating how similar protein scaffolds can give rise to markedly different reactions. Subsequently we discuss the co-factor preference and the protein engineering approaches. Finally, we explore uncharted areas of this field offering a strategy for discovering new catalysts.