Ribose-5-phosphate isomerase

In enzymology, a ribose-5-phosphate isomerase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * D-ribose 5-phosphate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ D-ribulose 5-phosphate

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, D-ribose 5-phosphate, and one product, D-ribulose 5-phosphate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of isomerases, specifically those intramolecular oxidoreductases interconverting aldoses and ketoses. The systematic name of this enzyme class is D-ribose-5-phosphate aldose-ketose-isomerase. Other names in common use include phosphopentosisomerase, phosphoriboisomerase, ribose phosphate isomerase, 5-phosphoribose isomerase, D-ribose 5-phosphate isomerase, and D-ribose-5-phosphate ketol-isomerase. This enzyme participates in pentose phosphate pathway and carbon fixation.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 15 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , , , , , , , , , , , , and.