BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY OF MOLYBDENUM: ENZYMES, COMPLEXES AND MEDICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Abstract

Molybdenum is one of the most important transition metals in bioinorganic chemistry due to its essential role in enzymatic systems. It is present in the active centers of several enzymes such as xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, and sulfite oxidase, which are involved in critical metabolic pathways including purine degradation, detoxification processes, and sulfur metabolism. The biological activity of these enzymes is directly dependent on the unique coordination environment of molybdenum.