Skip to content

Isomerase

DRAFT

This page is a work in progress and is subject to change at any moment.

TODO:

Isomerases, a versatile group of enzymes, orchestrate the intricate rearrangement of atoms within a single molecule. These "molecular sculptors" facilitate the interconversion of isomers, molecules with the same chemical formula but differing in spatial arrangement or bond connectivity. By enabling the conversion between various isomeric forms, isomerases play a pivotal role in metabolism, regulation, and protein folding within living organisms.

Biological relevance

The diverse functions of isomerases are essential for cellular life:

  • Metabolism: Isomerases ensure the efficient utilization of metabolites by interconverting various isomers into forms readily used by subsequent metabolic pathways. This is crucial for maintaining energy production, biosynthesis, and the breakdown of nutrients.
  • Carbohydrate Metabolism: Isomerases like phosphoglucomutase and triose phosphate isomerase play a vital role in glycolysis, the primary pathway for cellular glucose breakdown, by converting glucose and its intermediates into forms readily used in energy production.
  • Amino Acid Metabolism: Isomerases facilitate the interconversion of amino acids into their various stereoisomeric forms, which are essential for protein synthesis and other cellular processes.
  • Regulation: Certain isomerases participate in regulatory pathways by converting inactive precursors of regulatory molecules into their active forms, influencing cellular responses.
  • Protein Folding: Protein isomerases, a specific class, assist in protein folding by catalyzing the rearrangement of disulfide bonds, ensuring the proper three-dimensional structure and function of newly synthesized proteins.

Disease development

Disruptions in isomerase activity can contribute to the development of various human diseases:

  • Metabolic Disorders: Mutations in genes encoding specific isomerases can lead to imbalances in metabolite levels and disrupt essential metabolic pathways. This can contribute to diseases like inherited metabolic disorders, where the body cannot properly utilize certain nutrients due to defective isomerase activity.
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases: Altered activity of isomerases involved in protein folding has been implicated in the abnormal protein aggregation observed in diseases like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
  • Cancers: Dysregulation of isomerases involved in the metabolism of essential molecules or the activation of signaling pathways can potentially influence cancer development and progression.

As a drug target

The diverse functions of isomerases present both challenges and opportunities for drug development:

  • Substrate Specificity: While some isomerases exhibit high substrate specificity, others can act on a broader range of isomers. This complexity can influence the design of targeted drugs.
  • Essential Processes: Many isomerases are involved in critical metabolic pathways. Inhibiting them might lead to unwanted side effects.
  • Activation/Inhibition Mechanisms: Understanding the mechanisms by which isomerases are activated or inhibited can provide insights for the development of drugs that modulate their activity.