Chitin synthase

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


 * UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine + [1,4-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)]n $$\rightleftharpoons$$ UDP + [1,4-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)]n+1

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and [1,4-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)]n, whereas its two products are UDP and [1,4-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)]n+1.

This enzyme belongs to the family of glycosyltransferases, specifically the hexosyltransferases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine:chitin 4-beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl-transferase. Other names in common use include chitin-UDP N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase, chitin-uridine diphosphate acetylglucosaminyltransferase, chitin synthetase, and trans-N-acetylglucosaminosylase. This enzyme participates in aminosugars metabolism.