Mechanisms of oxygen metabolism.

The enzymes which catalyze reactions of molecular oxygen occur in three principle classes: (i) oxygen transferases, (ii) mixed function oxidases, and (iii) electron transferases. The first class catalyzes the transfer of a molecule of molecular oxygen to substrate. The second class catalyzes the transfer of one atom of the oxygen to substrate; the other atom undergoes two-equivalent reduction. The third class catalyses the reduction of molecular oxygen to hydrogen peroxide or to water.