Organic reactions promoted by mucin glycoproteins

Bovine submaxillary mucin and porcine gastric mucin have accelerated the rate of fatty acid p-nitrophenol ester hydrolysis up to 337 times and a carbon-carbon bond-forming Diels-Alder reaction between N-propylmaleimide and anthracene up to 200 times relative to the rates of the reference processes. The new properties of mucins to accelerate organic reactions have provided a new example of natural nonenzymatic proteins capable of promoting reactions of hydrophobic materials in aqueous solution.