 The reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme using a molybdenum cofactor (MoCo), which in the native state consists of a molybdenum (VI) nucleus ligated by two molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide (MGD) ligands and an aspartic acid residue.Two electrons acquired by the cofactor during the reaction, i.e., the hydroxylation of the hydrocarbon, are then transferred via a chain of iron-sulfur clusters connecting the molybdenum with a heme b cofactor in the alpha subunit, from which the electrons are donated to a yet-unknown acceptor.Notably, EBDH exhibits in vitro activity only with artificial electron acceptors of high redox potential, like the ferricenium ion (E0’= +380 mV).