The signal molecule nitric oxide (NO) has numerous roles in biology, physiology and medicine. For example, NO controls blood pressure and at high levels acts as a natural antibiotic, antitumor and antiviral. NO levels determine NO function. NO synthases produce NO and NO dioxygenases (NODs) eliminate NO to control NO levels and functions. Our 25 year effort in identifying nitric-oxide dioxygenases in various organisms and tissues and understanding their mechanism of action are captured in Dr. Gardner’s recently published review article “Ordered motions in the nitric-oxide dioxygenase mechanism of flavohemoglobin and assorted globins with tightly coupled reductases” in Protein Reviews (2023) and additional supporting research publications.
https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2022_751
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112257
https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA120.016637
The path towards the discovery and development of useful therapeutic NOD inhibitors and effectors has been laid and previewed for the next quarter century. And, the future looks promising.