Radical catalysis in coenzyme B12-dependent isomerization (eliminating) reactions

An overview is given of AdoCbl-dependent enzymes that catalyze isomerization leading to the elimination of water or ammonia with special emphasis on the recent progress in the structural and mechanistic studies. Studies on the functions of K+ and the active-site amino acid residues in enzymatic catalysis are also described. Furthermore, the discovery and action mechanisms of some reactivating factors for AdoCbL-dependent enzymes are also covered.