Hydroxypyruvate decarboxylase

In enzymology, a hydroxypyruvate decarboxylase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * hydroxypyruvate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ glycolaldehyde + CO2

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, hydroxypyruvate, and two products, glycolaldehyde and CO2.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the carboxy-lyases, which cleave carbon-carbon bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is hydroxypyruvate carboxy-lyase (glycolaldehyde-forming). This enzyme is also called hydroxypyruvate carboxy-lyase. This enzyme participates in glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism.