This volume is based on the proceedings of an International Symposium on "Cytochrome Systems: Molecular Biology and Bioenergetics" that was held at Selva di Fasano near Bari, Italy, between April 7 and 11,1987. It contains papers covering the subjects discussed at the Symposium, contributed both by participants of the meeting and by some invited speakers who were not able to attend. The aim of the Symposium was to bring together experts in various rese arch strategies currently being applied to the study of cytochrome systems, including molecular genetics, protein chemistry, enzymology of electron transfer and protonmotive activity in energy-transducing biological mem branes. Because of the high degree of complexity of cytochrome systems and the increasing sophistication in recent years of the different experimen tal approaches, there has been a growing specialization - sometimes even a tendency to "over-specialization" - among scientists working in this field. This in itself seemed to justify a meeting where representatives of various disciplines could exchange their results and discuss their conclusions. In addition, and perhaps even more importantly, it was felt that meetings of this kind provide an opportunity for a "cross-fertilization" of approaches and ideas among representatives of various fields of science. The present meeting proved to be an ample illustration of the success of such an inter action.

Major advances have been made in recent years in clarifying the molecular properties of the cytochrome P-450 system. These advances stem, in practical terms, from the generally recognized importance of cytochrome P-450 in the metabolism of drugs and in the bioactivation of xenobiotics to toxic products. The fascinating multiplicity and differential regulation of cytochrome P-450 isozymes, and their ability to catalyze extraordinarily difficult chemical transformations, have independently drawn many chemists and biochemists into the P-450 circle. Progress in the field, from a technical point of view, has been propelled by the de velopment of reliable procedures for the purification of membrane-bound enzymes, by the growing repertoire of molecular biological techniques, and by the development of chemical models that mimic the catalytic action of P-450. As a result, our understanding of the P-450 system is moving from the descriptive, pharmacological level into the tangible realm of atomic detail. The rapid progress and multidisciplinary character of the cytochrome P-450 field, which cuts across the lines that traditionally divide disciplines as diverse as inorganic chemistry and genetics, have created a need for an up-to-date evaluation of the advances that have been made. It is hoped that this book, with its molecular focus on the cytochrome P-450 system, will alleviate this need. The authors of the individual chapters have strived to emphasize recent results without sacrificing the background required to make their chapters comprehensible to informed nonspecialists.

Cytochrome P450: Structure, Mechanism, and Biochemistry, third edition is a revision of a review that summarizes the current state of research in the field of drug metabolism. The emphasis is on structure, mechanism, biochemistry, and regulation. Coverage is interdisciplinary, ranging from bioinorganic chemistry of cytochrome P450 to its relevance in human medicine. Each chapter provides an in-depth review of a given topic, but concentrates on advances of the last 10 years.

This book describes in 13 chapters mechanisms of P450 used to monooxygenate substrates via the NAD(P)H/O2 pathway using its peroxidase and peroxygenase functions. P450 also utilizes peroxides, peracids, periodate and iodosobenzene to oxygenate substrates via the shunt pathway. Also described are mechanisms used in the oxidation of pharmaceuticals by CYP3A4; acyl- carbon cleavage by CYP17A1, CYP19A1 and CYP51A1; metabolism of tetrabromodiphenyl ethers and bile acids by CYP2B6 and CYP3A4; metabolism of ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; H2O2-mediated peroxygenation of substrates using substrate misrecognition; P450 oxidative reactions using electrochemical methods; electron transfer to P450 by redox proteins; hydroxylation of 1,8-cineole by P450cin; and peroxygenation by unspecific peroxygenases using H2O2. The topics covered are relevant to P450 researchers, professors and students from a variety of disciplines ranging from pharmacology, toxicology and microbiology to chemistry.

Cytochromes c are haemoproteins which carry out electron transfer in a wide variety of biological systems, necessitating different kinds of cytochrome c to fulfill different biological roles. The evolutionary relationship between cytochromes c and their host organisms are described, as well as their structural, spectroscopic and redox properties, including both electron-transfer rates and redox potentials. The treatment is aimed at the non-specialist so that both the techniques described and their application to cytochromes c can be understood. All classes of cytochrome c are dealt with to provide a comprehensive account of the field. No other text provides such a broad survey. Similar to the earlier volume "Cytochromes c: Biological Aspects" which deals with the classification, biosynthesis and biological role of cytochromes c, the present book is aimed at research workers and advanced students.

Cytochromes are proteins that catalyze electron transfer reactions of well-known metabolic pathways and are classified in various superfamilies. The CYP, or P450, superfamily accounts for 90% of the oxidative metabolism of clinical drugs. One member of this superfamily, P450 2D6 (or CYP2D6), singlehandedly metabolizes about 25% of all medications in the human liver. Cytochrome P450 2D6: Structure, Function, Regulation, and Polymorphism reviews the current knowledge of CYP2D6 as well as the maturing body of evidence indicating its significance to clinical and pharmacological researchers and practitioners. This book focuses on the critical role CYP2D6 plays in the human liver. It examines the genetic, epigenetic, physiological, pathological, and structural factors of the gene that govern the highly variable metabolism of a number of drugs in clinical use. It highlights the impact of the functional roles of CYP2D6 on clinical practice and drug development and also discusses implications for precise medicine, strategies to avoid adverse drug reactions, and paths for future research. Cytochrome P450 2D6 is a unique, valuable book focusing on a single but immensely powerful human gene. It provides the first single source of comprehensive information on CYP2D6 that serves as an important reference for medical, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and nursing researchers, practitioners, and students.

A practice-oriented desktop reference for medical professionals, toxicologists and pharmaceutical researchers, this handbook provides systematic coverage of the metabolic pathways of all major classes of xenobiotics in the human body. The first part comprehensively reviews the main enzyme systems involved in biotransformation and how they are orchestrated in the body, while parts two to four cover the three main classes of xenobiotics: drugs, natural products, environmental pollutants. The part on drugs includes more than 300 substances from five major therapeutic groups (central nervous system, cardiovascular system, cancer, infection, and pain) as well as most drugs of abuse including nicotine, alcohol and "designer" drugs. Selected, well-documented case studies from the most important xenobiotics classes illustrate general principles of metabolism, making this equally useful for teaching courses on pharmacology, drug metabolism or molecular toxicology. Of particular interest, and unique to this volume is the inclusion of a wide range of additional xenobiotic compounds, including food supplements, herbal preparations, and agrochemicals.

Helmut Sigel, Astrid Sigel and Roland K.O. Sigel, in close cooperation with John Wiley & Sons launch a new Series “Metal Ions in Life Sciences”. There exists a whole range of books on Cytochromes P450, but none with the focus of this volume. This new volume in the Series concentrates on current hot topics in the area and tries to work out the underlying common developments. As a result the reader will find a systematic account of new results in this exciting research area. The table of contents gives an idea on the wide span of chapters, starting with overviews and the presentation of specific systems, and ending with chapters on carbon-carbon bond cleavage by P450 sytems, drug metabolism as catalyzed by P450 systems, decomposition of xenobiotics by P450 enzymes and design and engineering of new P450 systems.

Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) comprise a large superfamily of proteins that are of central importance in the detoxification or activation of a tremendous number of natural and synthetic hydrophobic xenobiotics, including many therapeutic drugs, chemical carcinogens and environmental pollutants. CYPs are important in mediating interactions between an organism and its chemical environment and in the regulation of physiological processes. Cytochrome P450 Protocols, Third Edition focuses on high-throughput methods for the simultaneous analysis of multiple CYPs, substrates or ligands. Although the emphasis is on CYPs of mammalian origin, it reflects an increasing interest in CYPs of bacterial species. Also included are chapters on cytochrome P450 reductase (the redox partner of CYPs) and the flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs), and metabolomic and lipidomic approaches for identification of endogenous substrates of CYPs (‘de-orphanizing’ CYP substrates). Written in the successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Cytochrome P450 Protocols, Third Edition provides a wide range of techniques accessible to researchers in fields as diverse as biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, toxicology, environmental biology and genetics.

During half a century, cytochrome P450 in its original uniqueness as an optically "wrong" cytochrome has attracted many investigators, who have contributed to the unveiling of a bewildering multiplicity of biologically important functions of the, by now very large, superfamily of cytochrome P 450 enzymes. With its discovery in 1958 and with the advent of more refined spectroscopic methodologies, through the double wavelength spectrophotometry, the mysterious enzyme system began to reveal its secrets in a swift stream of investigative successes. As one of the most extensively studied enzyme systems worldwide the interest in cytochromes P450 very much reflects its importance in the elimination of drugs and other chemicals from the body and its role in chemical toxicity and in the aetiology of diseases such as cancer. There has been significant progress in research in this area in recent years and current books on this subject are now out of date. This much needed, new, fully up-to-date publication fills this gap and emphasises the new relevant topics that have emerged during the last decade in an easily accessible manner. The enzyme system, cytochromes P450, comprises a number of families/subfamilies, and the focus of the book is to deal with each individually, furnishing information directly relevant to scientists involved in the development of chemicals, in particular in the evaluation of their safety. The book has contributions from internationally respected scientists who are research-active in the relevant areas. The authors have made extensive use of figures and tables so that the reader can access the necessary information without always having to read the text. In addition, a very extensive, user-friendly index is a unique hallmark of the book. Part A of this monograph introduces the reader to the current knowledge of the evolutionary development of cytochrome P450 structure and function. Furthermore, it deals with the role of this enzyme in the formation of reactive intermediates. The shrewd and extensive utilisation of the molecular biology methodology very rapidly led to a vast body of enzymes calling for a classification of the plethora of different cytochromes P450 (the superfamily) into families and subfamilies. This is aptly exemplified by the ten chapters in Part B of this book, dealing with ten subfamilies and two families of cytochrome P450. Part C offers an insight into another aspect of cytochrome P450 research, namely its regulation through receptor-mediated stimuli - as opposed to enzyme induction or inhibition. The final chapter translates the current data on one of several drug metabolising systems into clinical application and highlights the role of cytochromes P450 in the treatment of neoplastic growth. The book deals extensively with each family/subfamily of the cytochromes P450 that contribute to the metabolism of xenobiotics. Essential and invaluable information is provided for the industrial research scientist working with fine chemicals, and especially those in the pharmaceutical industry, dealing with the safety evaluation of chemicals or being involved in the study of their metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicological properties. It should also prove of interest to Regulators concerned with the safety evaluation of chemicals, research pharmacologists and toxicologists, and postgraduate students studying drug metabolism and toxicology at an advanced level.