Cryo-em freezes the funk: How scientists visualized a pungent protein

Cryo-em freezes the funk: How scientists visualized a pungent protein

Most people have witnessed -- or rather smelled -- when a protein enzyme called sulfite reductase works its magic. This enzyme catalyzes the chemical reduction of sulfite to hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is the rotten egg smell that can occur when organic matter decays and is frequently associated with sewage treatment facilities and landfills. But scientists have not been able to capture a visual image of the enzyme's structure until now, …