S. Kochius & D. Holtmann
Enzymes are highly specific and selective, especially for enantio- or regio-selective introduction of functional groups. Therefore, isolated enzymes such as alcohol dehydrogenases or P450 monooxygenases become more and more important for industrial production or sensor application. These enzymes can be used for the production of building blocks for synthesis of fine chemicals and important pharmaceuticals. Many of the applicable enzymes are known to be cofactor dependent. Cofactors are low-molecular compounds, which are responsible for the transfer of hydrogen, electrons, or functional groups in enzyme-catalyzed reactions [1]. Important cofactors are adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), coenzyme A (CoA), pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), and nicotinamide cofactors (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)).