Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 2002-06-03

Glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase--the multi-facets enzyme.

Sławomir Milewski

Index: Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1597 , 173-192, (2002)

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Abstract

L-Glutamine: D-fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase, known under trivial name of glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase, as the only member of the amidotransferase subfamily of enzymes, does not display any ammonia-dependent activity. This enzyme, catalysing the first committed step in a pathway leading to the eventual formation of uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), is an important point of metabolic control in biosynthesis of amino sugar-containing macromolecules. The molecular mechanism of reaction catalysed by GlcN-6-P synthase is complex and involves both amino transfer and sugar isomerisation. Substantial alterations to the enzyme structure and properties have been detected in different neoplastic tissues. GlcN-6-P synthase is inflicted in phenomenon of hexosamine-induced insulin resistance in diabetes. Finally, this enzyme has been proposed as a promising target in antifungal chemotherapy. Most of these issues, especially their molecular aspects, have been extensively studied in recent years. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the present knowledge on this multi-facets enzyme.