Methylglyoxal synthase

In enzymology, a methylglyoxal synthase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * glycerone phosphate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ methylglyoxal + phosphate

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, glycerone phosphate, and two products, methylglyoxal and phosphate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically those carbon-oxygen lyases acting on phosphates. The systematic name of this enzyme class is glycerone-phosphate phosphate-lyase (methylglyoxal-forming). Other names in common use include methylglyoxal synthetase, and glycerone-phosphate phospho-lyase. This enzyme participates in pyruvate metabolism.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 7 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , , , , and.