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Are Environmentally Coupled Enzymatic Hydrogen Tunneling Reactions Influenced by Changes in Solution Viscosity?
Author(s) -
Hay Sam,
Pudney Christopher R.,
Sutcliffe Michael J.,
Scrutton Nigel S.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.200704484
Subject(s) - viscosity , chemistry , quantum tunnelling , kinetic isotope effect , electron transfer , kinetic energy , chemical physics , gating , thermodynamics , deuterium , quantum mechanics , biophysics , physics , biology
Light at the end of the tunnel? The rate and kinetic isotope effect of an enzymatic H‐tunneling reaction are not dependent on solution viscosity (see picture), despite clear evidence that this reaction is coupled to promoting motions within the protein. This finding is in contrast to the viscosity dependence of conformationally gated electron‐transfer reactions and suggests that the mechanisms of environmental gating of these reactions are different.