EC Explorer

5.1.1.23

UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-muramoyl-L-alanyl-L-glutamate epimerase

ATP + UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-muramoyl-L-alanyl-L-glutamate + H₂O = AMP + diphosphate + UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-muramoyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamate

murL (gene name), UDP-MurNAc-L-Ala-L-Glu epimerase

UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-muramoyl-L-alanyl-L-glutamate L-glutamate-epimerase

The enzyme, characterized from the bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae, catalyses epimerization of the terminal L-glutamate in UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-muramoyl-L-alanyl-L-glutamate. The reaction proceeds only in one direction and involves an adenylated intermediate. The combined activity of this enzyme and EC 6.3.2.53, UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine—L-glutamate ligase, provides an alternative route for incorporating D-glutamate into peptidoglycan, replacing the more common combination of EC 5.1.1.3, glutamate racemase, and EC 6.3.2.9, UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine—D-glutamate ligase.

created 2018