Catalytic mechanism of the metal-dependent fuculose aldolase from Escherichia coli as derived from the structure.
Dreyer, M.K., Schulz, G.E.(1996) J Mol Biol 259: 458-466
- PubMed: 8676381 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/jmbi.1996.0332
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
3FUA, 4FUA - PubMed Abstract: 
The structure of L-fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase in a cubic crystal form has been determined with and without the inhibitor phosphoglycolohydroxamate at 2.4 and 2.7 angstrom (1 angstrom = 0.1 nm) resolution, respectively. This inhibitor mimics the enediolate transition state of the substrate moiety dihydroxyacetone phosphate. The structures showed that dihydroxyacetone phosphate ligates the zinc ion of this metal-dependent class II aldolase with its hydroxyl and keto oxygen atoms, shifting Glu73 away from the zinc coordination sphere to a non-polar environment. At this position Glu73 accepts a proton in the initial reaction step, producing the enediolate which is then stabilized by the zinc ion. The other substrate moiety L-lactaldehyde was modeled, because no binding structure is yet available.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.