Abzyme

An abzyme (from antibody and enzyme), also called catmab (from catalytic monoclonal antibody), is a monoclonal antibody with catalytic activity. Molecules which are modified to gain new catalytic activity are called synzymes. Abzymes are usually artificial constructs, but are also found in normal humans (anti-vasoactive intestinal peptide autoantibodies) and in patients with the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus, where they can bind and hydrolyze DNA. Abzymes are potential tools in biotechnology, e.g., to perform specific actions on DNA.

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Enzymes function by lowering the activation energy of the transition state, thereby catalyzing the formation of an otherwise-less-favorable molecular intermediate between reactants and products. If an antibody is developed to a stable molecule that's similar to an unstable intermediate of another (potentially unrelated) reaction, the developed antibody will enzymatically bind to and stabilize the intermediate state, thus catalyzing the reaction.

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Source: Vevek Parikh - Biochem Dept., Univ. of Miami.

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Antibody: An antibody is a protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects like bacteria and viruses. Each antibody recognizes a specific antigen unique to its target. Production of antibodies is referred to as the humoral immune system....

Enzyme: An enzyme (from Greek ?nsimo (??????), formed by ?n = at or in and simo = leaven or yeast) is a protein that catalyzes, or speeds up, a chemical reaction....

Monoclonal antibody: Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are antibodies that are identical because they were produced by one type of immune cell, all clones of a single parent cell. Given (almost) any substance, it is possible to create monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to that substance; they can then serve to detec...