Mechanism and applications of phosphite dehydrogenase

Phosphite dehydrogenase catalyzes the NAD+-dependent oxidation of hydrogen phosphonate (common name phosphite) to phosphate in what amounts to a formal phosphoryl transfer reaction from hydride to hydroxide. This review places the enzyme in the context of phosphorus redox metabolism in nature and discusses the results of mechanistic investigations into its reaction mechanism. The potential of the enzyme as a NAD(P)H cofactor regeneration system is discussed as well as efforts to engineer the cofactor specificity of the protein.