Aspartate ammonia-lyase

In enzymology, an aspartate ammonia-lyase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * L-aspartate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ fumarate + NH3

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, L-aspartate, and two products, fumarate and NH3.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically ammonia lyases, which cleave carbon-nitrogen bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is L-aspartate ammonia-lyase (fumarate-forming). Other names in common use include aspartase, fumaric aminase, L-aspartase, and L-aspartate ammonia-lyase. This enzyme participates in alanine and aspartate metabolism and nitrogen metabolism.

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