Simple Pharmanotes: Coenzymes–Structure and biochemical function.

Introduction:

Enzymes break down complex molecules and combine them to form simpler molecules, which are used by the body or excreted as waste material.
A cofactor can be needed if enzymes are unable to function alone in these reactions.
Holoenzymes or active enzymes, are complexes made up of two parts: a protein or apoenzyme and cofactors.
Proteins or apoenzymes cannot function alone; they need a cofactor to function.
Activators, which are usually cations, can be cofactors.
Coenzymes, which are non-protein compounds, are normally required for enzyme catalysis. Being complex, they prevent the separation of enzyme complex components.

For an enzyme to catalyze a chemical reaction, it requires a particular molecule called a coenzyme.
Commonly, phosphorylated derivatives of water soluble vitamins are the main sources of coenzymes.
Coenzymes act by binding to the active sites of enzymes (apoenzymes).
Coenzymes are mainly responsible for transporting electrons between the reactants in reaction chains.

All three coenzymes play a role in oxidation and hydrogen transfer.
Coenzymes are commonly referred to as co-substrates because they bind to the enzyme alongside the substrate at the start of a chemical reaction and alter the enzyme at the end.
Coenzymes bind to enzymes before other substrates; hence they are called coenzymes. In addition, coenzymes are transformed again into their original forms by other enzymes in the cell.
Cofactors and coenzymes are nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
The breakdown of coenzymes involves vitamin and mineral cofactors. As a result, maintaining an adequate dietary intake of trace elements is critical for energy production.

Retinoic acid is a metabolite of vitamin A that functions as a gene regulator and, thus, is important for cell growth.
The enzymes that move -CO2 groups (g-carboxylases) require vitamin K as a coenzyme, it is crucial for the coagulation of blood.

A mineral can sometimes also act as a cofactor.
An enzyme or its substrate cannot be incorporated into minerals that act as catalysts.
Their function is to increase the speed of the biochemical reaction between the enzyme and the substrate.
Magnesium, manganese, selenium, and molybdenum are minerals that act as cofactors.
For certain non-enzymatic proteins, minerals like cobalt, iodine, calcium, and phosphorus have the role of cofactors.
Cofactors like copper, zinc, and iron are involved in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes.