Structural investigation of reaction intermediates in glycolytic aldolases

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Our proposal seeks to understand how the biological catalysts called enzymes speed up chemical reactions in living cells. Enzymes are essential to life; life without these biological catalysts is not possible. Despite years of research, biochemists have not yet succeeded in providing a comprehensive description of how enzymes accomplish catalysis. What is missing is a detailed knowledge about the internal mechanisms that an enzyme uses to speed up chemical reactions. We will use a technique that we pioneered - freezing the motion inside an enzyme - which will allow us to follow its inner workings step by step. To visualise these subtle mechanisms, we propose to use X-ray diffraction, which magnifies the internal atomic structures of enzymes. Through this detailed investigation into their function, we hope to learn how enzymes perform this amazing feat of catalysis.