What does "NO-Synthase" stand for ?

Mammalian NO-Synthases (NOSs) are the enzymatic sources of Nitric Oxide (NO°), a paradigmatic gasotransmitter involved in many (patho)-physiological processes. The increasing number of available genomes led to the identification of hundreds of new NOS proteins throughout the kingdoms of life, calling for a global investigation of this family of proteins. These new NOSs are commonly believed to share the same structure, functioning and role as mammalian NOSs. The scope of this article is to highlight the singularity of these NOSs and to describe their complex structural and functional diversity. NOS appears as a unique enzymatic machinery that exhibits a complex Structure - Activity - Function relationship. Its sophisticated redox mechanism and enzymatic regulation, coupled to the vast biological chemistry of reactive nitrogen species, leads to a specific cross-talk between NOS catalysis and its biological environment that implies a complex evolution of NOS function. This paper addresses the relationship between structure, function and evolution of NOS proteins using three NOS model families and advocates for an integrative and interdisciplinary approach that combines modelling studies, structural characterization, and in vitro/in vivo functional investigations.