Structure and function of xanthine oxidoreductase

An overview of the current state of our understanding of the reaction mechanism of the molybdenum-containing enzyme xanthine oxidoreductase is presented, with an emphasis on work done in the past five years. Recent studies of the biosynthesis of the pterin cofactor bound to the metal in the active site are also reviewed, as is crystallographic work that has clarified the coordination geometry of the molybdenum center. This structural work provides the context in which to understand recent mechanistic studies of the enzyme, in particular those aimed at elucidating the role of specific amino acid residues in the active site of the enzyme.