Benzoin aldolase

In enzymology, a benzoin aldolase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethanone $$\rightleftharpoons$$ 2 benzaldehyde

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethanone, and one product, benzaldehyde.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the aldehyde-lyases, which cleave carbon-carbon bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethanone benzaldehyde-lyase (benzaldehyde-forming). Other names in common use include benzaldehyde lyase, and 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethanone benzaldehyde-lyase. It employs one cofactor, thiamin diphosphate.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 3 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , and.