UDP-glucose 4-epimerase

In enzymology, an UDP-glucose 4-epimerase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * UDP-glucose $$\rightleftharpoons$$ UDP-galactose

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, UDP-glucose, and one product, UDP-galactose.

This enzyme belongs to the family of isomerases, specifically those racemases and epimerases acting on carbohydrates and derivatives. The systematic name of this enzyme class is UDP-glucose 4-epimerase. Other names in common use include UDP-galactose 4-epimerase, uridine diphosphoglucose epimerase, galactowaldenase, UDPG-4-epimerase, uridine diphosphate galactose 4-epimerase, uridine diphospho-galactose-4-epimerase, UDP-glucose epimerase, UDP-galactose 4-epimerase, 4-epimerase, UDPG-4-epimerase, uridine diphosphoglucose 4-epimerase, uridine diphosphate glucose 4-epimerase, and UDP-D-galactose 4-epimerase. This enzyme participates in galactose metabolism and nucleotide sugars metabolism. It employs one cofactor, NAD+.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 30 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and.