enzymology Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

, a glycine C-acetyltransferase () is an enzyme that

catalyzes Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...

the chemical reaction: :acetyl-CoA + glycine

\rightleftharpoons

CoA + 2-amino-3-oxobutanoate Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are

acetyl-CoA Acetyl-CoA (acetyl coenzyme A) is a molecule that participates in many biochemical reactions in protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Its main function is to deliver the acetyl group to the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) to be oxidized for ...

and glycine, whereas its two products are

CoA Coa may refer to: Places * Coa, County Fermanagh, a rural community in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland * Côa River, a tributary of the Douro, Portugal ** Battle of Coa, part of the Peninsular War period of the Napoleonic Wars ** Côa Vall ...

and 2-amino-3-oxobutanoate. This enzyme belongs to the family of transferases, specifically those

acyltransferase Acyltransferase is a type of transferase enzyme that acts upon acyl groups. Examples include: * Glyceronephosphate O-acyltransferase * Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase *Long-chain-alcohol O-fatty-acyltransferase In enzymology, a long-chain- ...

s transferring groups other than aminoacyl groups. The systematic name of this enzyme class is acetyl-CoA:glycine C-acetyltransferase. Other names in common use include 2-amino-3-ketobutyrate CoA ligase, 2-amino-3-ketobutyrate coenzyme A ligase, 2-amino-3-ketobutyrate-CoA ligase, glycine acetyltransferase, and aminoacetone synthase. This enzyme participates in glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. It employs one cofactor, pyridoxal phosphate.

Structural studies

As of late 2007, only one

structure A structure is an arrangement and organization of interrelated elements in a material object or system, or the object or system so organized. Material structures include man-made objects such as buildings and machines and natural objects such as ...

has been solved for this class of enzymes, with the PDB accession code .

Human genes

GCAT Glycine C-acetyltransferase is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GCAT gene. Function The degradation of L-threonine to glycine consists of a two-step biochemical pathway involving the enzymes L-threonine dehydrogenase and 2-amino-3- ...

References

* EC 2.3.1 Pyridoxal phosphate enzymes Enzymes of known structure {{2.3-enzyme-stub