We found a rogue enzyme running its own little chemical factory completely outside of any living cell.
We usually think of cellular processes as being tightly controlled from the inside, but this enzyme can generate its own fuel to build biological structures. It creates a self-sustaining loop of hydrogen peroxide to knit proteins together, functioning entirely on its own in the space between cells.
Peroxidasin-dependent hydrogen peroxide source as a potential feedback mechanism for extracellular matrix proteins oxidation
SSRN · 6549939
Peroxidasin (PXDN) catalyzes collagen IV sulfilimine crosslinking through the generation of hypobromous acid (HOBr), a reaction that requires hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). However, the physiological source of H₂O₂ that sustains PXDN activity in the extracellular matrix (ECM) remains unclear. Here, we show that ECM derived from HEK293 cells overexpressing PXDN exhibits markedly elevated peroxidase activity even in the absence of exogenous H₂O₂. This intrinsic activity is completely abolished by catal