
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Trimethylamine N-oxide reductase
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Trimethylamine N-oxide reductase (TOR or TMAO reductase, EC 1.7.2.3) is a microbial enzyme that can reduce trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) into trimethylamine (TMA), as part of the electron transport chain. The enzyme has been purified from E. coli and the photosynthetic bacteria Roseobacter denitrificans.[1] Both the R. denitrificans and E. coli enzymes can accept electrons from cytochromes.[2]
trimethylamine + 2 (ferricytochrome c)-subunit + H2O β trimethylamine N-oxide + 2 (ferrocytochrome c)-subunit + 2 H+
Trimethylamine oxide is found at high concentrations in the tissues of fish, and the bacterial reduction of this compound to foul-smelling trimethylamine is a major process in the spoilage of fish.[3]
References
References
- β Arata H, Shimizu M, Takamiya K (1992). “Purification and properties of trimethylamine N-oxide reductase from aerobic photosynthetic bacterium Roseobacter denitrificans”. J. Biochem. 112 (4): 470β5. PMIDΒ 1337081.
- β Gon S, Giudici-Orticoni MT, MΓ©jean V, Iobbi-Nivol C (2001). “Electron transfer and binding of the c-type cytochrome TorC to the trimethylamine N-oxide reductase in Escherichia coli”. J. Biol. Chem. 276 (15): 11545β51. PMIDΒ 11056172.
- β Barrett EL, Kwan HS (1985). “Bacterial reduction of trimethylamine oxide”. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 39: 131β49. doi:10.1146/annurev.mi.39.100185.001023. PMIDΒ 3904597.
