Starch synthase

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


 * ADP-glucose + (1,4-alpha-D-glucosyl)n $$\rightleftharpoons$$ ADP + (1,4-alpha-D-glucosyl)n+1

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are ADP-glucose and (1,4-alpha-D-glucosyl)n, whereas its two products are ADP and (1,4-alpha-D-glucosyl)n+1.

This enzyme belongs to the family of glycosyltransferases, specifically the hexosyltransferases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is ADP-glucose:1,4-alpha-D-glucan 4-alpha-D-glucosyltransferase. Other names in common use include ADP-glucose-starch glucosyltransferase, adenosine diphosphate glucose-starch glucosyltransferase, adenosine diphosphoglucose-starch glucosyltransferase, ADP-glucose starch synthase, ADP-glucose synthase, ADP-glucose transglucosylase, ADP-glucose-starch glucosyltransferase, ADPG starch synthetase, ADPG-starch glucosyltransferase, and starch synthetase. This enzyme participates in starch and sucrose metabolism.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 4 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , and.