Fumarase or fumarate hydratase is an enzyme that catalyzes the
reversible reaction of hydration/dehydration of fumarate to malate. Fumarase
comes in two forms: mitochondrial and cytosolic. This enzyme participates in
three metabolic pathways; the Krebs Cycle (Cytric Acid Cycle), CO2
fixation and in renal cell carcinoma. This enzyme belongs to the family of
lysases, which cleave carbon-oxygen bonds.
Molecular Weight: 54,637 Da; 49,456.49 g/mol
Chemical Formula:
I was unable to locate a specifuc chemical formula for this enzyme from the web or from the Protein Data Bank website. However, I was able to find information as to how fumrase is typically found within a lab setting. Fumarase is typically extraccted from the porcine heart and is usually placed within a potassium phoshate suspension. This is often used in the lab to demponstrate the following raction process within the Krebs Cycle: L-Malate Fumarase > Fumarate + H2O
Structure:
Active Site Structure
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3D
Rotatable Structure can be found on http://www.proteopedia.org/wiki/index.php/Fumarase
Reaction Catalyzed
The role of fumarase in the citric
acid cycle is to enable a transition step in the assembly of energy in the form
of NADH. In the cytosol, the enzyme metabolizes fumarate, which ends up as a
byproduct of the urea cycle as well as amino acid catabolism. Studies have
revealed that the active site is composed of amino acid residues from three of
the four subunits within the tetrameric enzyme. This process takes place in the
mitochondria.
Catalytic Activity:
(S)-malate = fumarate + H2O
