The
enzyme UDP-glucuronate decarboxylase ()
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
:UDP-D-glucuronate
UDP-D-xylose + CO
2
This enzyme belongs to the family of
lyase
In biochemistry, a lyase is an enzyme that catalyzes the breaking (an elimination reaction) of various chemical bonds by means other than hydrolysis (a substitution reaction) and oxidation, often forming a new double bond or a new ring structure. ...
s, specifically the carboxy-lyases, which cleave carbon-carbon bonds. The
systematic name of this enzyme class is UDP-D-glucuronate carboxy-lyase (UDP-D-xylose-forming). Other names in common use include uridine-diphosphoglucuronate decarboxylase, and UDP-D-glucuronate carboxy-lyase. This enzyme participates in
starch and sucrose metabolism
Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diets, ...
and
nucleotide sugars metabolism
In nucleotide sugar metabolism a group of biochemicals known as nucleotide sugars act as donors for sugar residues in the glycosylation reactions that produce polysaccharides. They are substrates for glycosyltransferases. The nucleotide sugars ...
. It employs one
cofactor,
NAD+
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a coenzyme central to metabolism. Found in all living cells, NAD is called a dinucleotide because it consists of two nucleotides joined through their phosphate groups. One nucleotide contains an aden ...
.
Structural studies
As of late 2007, two
structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with
PDB accession codes and .
References
*
EC 4.1.1
NADH-dependent enzymes
Enzymes of known structure
{{4.1-enzyme-stub