UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase

UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * UDP-glucose + sulfite $$\rightleftharpoons$$ UDP-6-sulfoquinovose + H2O

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are UDP-glucose and sulfite, whereas its two products are UDP-6-sulfoquinovose and H2O.

In a subsequent reaction catalyzed by sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol synthase, the sulfoquinovose portion of UDP-sulfoquinovose is combined with diacyglycerol to produce the sulfolipid sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG).

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, specifically those acting on carbon-sulfur bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is UDP-6-sulfo-6-deoxyglucose sulfohydrolase. Other names in common use include sulfite:UDP-glucose sulfotransferase, and UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase. This enzyme participates in nucleotide sugars metabolism and glycerolipid metabolism.

The 3-dimensional structure of the enzyme is known from Protein Data Bank entries 1qrr (Mulichak et al., 1999), 1i24, 1i2b and 1i2c.