MDR-alcohol dehydrogenases

Close to 80 years of research have brought MDR alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) from unknown molecular concepts to molecules known in exact detail regarding structural, functional and evolutionary properties. They can be traced backwards in at least six stages of development, to essentially the origin of cellular life, and have been monitored in a long series of biannual meetings on "Carbonyl Metabolism". In between each of these latest meetings, a roughly three-fold increase in known totals of MDR databank entries has been apparent, bringing the total now of known MDR-ADH entries to approaching half a million forms. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.