The enzyme alkylmercury lyase (EC 4.99.1.2)
catalyzes
Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...
the reaction
:an alkylmercury + H
+ an alkane + Hg
2+
This enzyme belongs to the family of
lyase
In biochemistry, a lyase is an enzyme that catalyzes the breaking (an elimination reaction) of various chemical bonds by means other than hydrolysis (a substitution reaction) and oxidation, often forming a new double bond or a new ring structure. ...
s, specifically the "catch-all" class of lyases that do not fit into any other sub-class. The
systematic name of this enzyme class is alkylmercury mercury(II)-lyase (alkane-forming). Other names in common use include organomercury lyase, organomercurial lyase, and alkylmercury mercuric-lyase.
The enzyme converts
methyl mercury
Methylmercury (sometimes methyl mercury) is an organometallic cation with the formula . It is the simplest organomercury compound. Methylmercury is extremely toxic, and its derivatives are the major source of organic mercury for humans. It is ...
to the much less toxic elemental form of the metal.
References
*
EC 4.99.1
Enzymes of known structure
{{lyase-stub