Tartronate-semialdehyde synthase

In enzymology, a tartronate-semialdehyde synthase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * 2 glyoxylate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ tartronate semialdehyde + CO2

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, glyoxylate, and two products, tartronate semialdehyde and CO2.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the carboxy-lyases, which cleave carbon-carbon bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is glyoxylate carboxy-lyase (dimerizing tartronate-semialdehyde-forming). Other names in common use include tartronate semialdehyde carboxylase, glyoxylate carbo-ligase, glyoxylic carbo-ligase, hydroxymalonic semialdehyde carboxylase, tartronic semialdehyde carboxylase, glyoxalate carboligase, and glyoxylate carboxy-lyase (dimerizing). This enzyme participates in glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. It has 2 cofactors: FAD, and Thiamin diphosphate.