Aims and Scope
Journal of Enzymes (JEN) publishes fundamental research on enzyme structure, function, and molecular mechanisms. We focus on basic enzymology, biocatalysis, and molecular biology of enzymes across all biological systems.
Core Research Domains
Clinical/Medical Enzymology
- Enzyme biomarkers and diagnostic workflows
- Enzyme-based interventions in human disease
- Enzyme deficiencies and replacement therapy
- Enzymatic drug metabolism
- Enzymes in inflammation and oncology
- Metabolic disorders and rare genetic conditions
"Clinical validation of serum lipase isoforms as biomarkers for pancreatic disease severity and treatment response monitoring"
Systems-Level / Pathway Enzymology
- Enzyme networks and pathway dynamics
- Multi-enzyme regulation at cellular scale
- Pathway rewiring and metabolic control
- Enzyme co-factor balance
- Systems biology linking enzyme function to phenotype
- Integrative omics with mechanistic conclusions
"Flux balance analysis reveals metabolic enzyme bottlenecks controlling cancer cell proliferation under nutrient stress"
Therapeutic Enzyme Modalities
- Enzyme replacement therapy
- Enzyme prodrug activation systems
- Enzyme-based biologics
- Enzyme-mediated detoxification
- Delivery systems and stability engineering
- Clinical pharmacology of therapeutic enzymes
"PEGylated asparaginase variants with enhanced serum stability for acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment"
Enzyme Structure and Catalysis
- Three-dimensional protein structure determination
- Active site architecture and substrate binding
- Catalytic mechanism elucidation
- Structure-function relationships
- Allosteric regulation mechanisms
- Cofactor and metal ion coordination
"Crystal structure of a novel serine protease reveals unique substrate specificity determinants through computational docking and site-directed mutagenesis"
Enzyme Kinetics and Regulation
- Steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetics
- Enzyme inhibition mechanisms
- Allosteric regulation and cooperativity
- Post-translational modifications affecting activity
- pH and temperature effects on catalysis
- Single-molecule enzyme kinetics
"Kinetic characterization of phosphorylation-dependent activation of a metabolic enzyme using rapid quench-flow techniques"
Protein Engineering and Biocatalysis
- Directed evolution and rational design
- Enzyme immobilization strategies
- Thermostability and solvent tolerance engineering
- Substrate specificity modification
- De novo enzyme design
- Biocatalytic reaction optimization
"Engineering a lipase for enhanced enantioselectivity in organic solvents through combinatorial active site saturation mutagenesis"
Secondary Focus Areas
Computational Enzymology
Molecular dynamics simulations, quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations, enzyme-substrate docking, machine learning for enzyme property prediction, and bioinformatics-driven enzyme discovery.
Enzyme Analytical Methods
Novel assay development, spectroscopic techniques (UV-Vis, fluorescence, circular dichroism), mass spectrometry-based approaches, biosensor design, and high-throughput screening platforms.
Industrial Enzyme Applications
Enzyme use in biofuel production, pharmaceutical synthesis, food processing, textile treatment, and bioremediation-focusing on molecular mechanisms and optimization.
Enzyme Inhibitors and Activators
Molecular mechanisms of enzyme inhibition, structure-activity relationships of inhibitors, allosteric modulators, covalent inhibitors, and transition state analogs.
Extremophile Enzymes
Enzymes from thermophiles, psychrophiles, halophiles, and acidophiles-structural adaptations, stability mechanisms, and biotechnological potential.
Enzyme Evolution
Phylogenetic analysis of enzyme families, ancestral sequence reconstruction, molecular evolution of catalytic function, and horizontal gene transfer of enzyme genes.
Emerging Research Frontiers
Article Types and Editorial Priorities
Fast-Track Review (21 days)
Standard Review (21 days)
Selective Acceptance Only
These formats are accepted only when they present exceptional insights into enzyme mechanisms or methodological innovations. Authors should contact the editorial office before submission.
Editorial Standards and Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
- MIAME for microarray data
- STROBE for observational studies
- ARRIVE for animal research
- PRISMA for systematic reviews
- Enzyme nomenclature per IUBMB
Data Transparency
- Raw data deposition required
- Protein structures in PDB
- Gene sequences in GenBank
- Protocols in protocols.io
- Code in GitHub/Zenodo
Research Ethics
- IRB approval for human samples
- IACUC approval for animal work
- Biosafety clearance documentation
- Conflict of interest disclosure
- Funding source transparency
Preprint Policy
- Preprints accepted (bioRxiv, ChemRxiv)
- Must disclose in cover letter
- No impact on peer review
- Version control maintained
- DOI linking upon publication
Publication Metrics and Timeline
Ready to Submit Your Research?
If your work focuses on fundamental enzyme mechanisms, structure-function relationships, or molecular enzymology, we invite you to submit your manuscript today.
