Substrate binding to cytochromes P450

P450s have attracted tremendous attention owing to not only their involvement in the metabolism of drug molecules and endogenous substrates but also the unusual nature of the reaction they catalyze, namely, the oxidation of unactivated C–H bonds. The binding of substrates to P450s, which is usually viewed as the first step in the catalytic cycle, has been studied extensively via a variety of biochemical and biophysical approaches. These studies were directed towards answering different questions related to P450s, including mechanism of oxidation, substrate properties, unusual substrate oxidation kinetics, function, and active-site features. Some of the substrate binding studies extending over a period of more than 40 years of dedicated work have been summarized in this review and categorized by the techniques employed in the binding studies.