A molecular switch turns on the flame in 'nature's blowtorch'

Uncontrolled reaction of organic compounds with oxygen is easy: we call it fire. But nature often needs to do oxidations very specifically, adding oxygen to a particular carbon atom in a complicated molecule without disturbing anything else. Usually, this job falls to an enzyme called cytochrome P450. Because cytochrome P450 can catalyze molecular oxidations with pinpoint accuracy, it has been called "nature's blowtorch," and its job is analogous to that of a welder doing a tricky repair in a highly flammable wooden house. It needs to do the repair without burning itself or the house.

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