The enzymes involved in biosynthesis of penicillin and cephalosporin; their structure and function.

The biosynthetic pathway resulting in the penicillins and cephalosporins contains two Fe2+ oxidase enzymes which are responsible for the conversion of alpha-aminoadipoyl-L-cysteinyl-D-valine into isopenicillin N and penicillin N into deacetoxycephalosporin C. We will discuss the studies delineating the ligand binding of these enzymes and present a possible secondary structure.