Crystal structure and mechanism of a carbon-carbon bond hydrolase.
Timm, D.E., Mueller, H.A., Bhanumoorthy, P., Harp, J.M., Bunick, G.J.(1999) Structure 7: 1023-1033
- PubMed: 10508789 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0969-2126(99)80170-1
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1QCN, 1QCO, 1QQJ - PubMed Abstract: 
Fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) catalyzes the final step of tyrosine and phenylalanine catabolism, the hydrolytic cleavage of a carbon-carbon bond in fumarylacetoacetate, to yield fumarate and acetoacetate. FAH has no known sequence homologs and functions by an unknown mechanism. Carbon-carbon hydrolysis reactions are essential for the human metabolism of aromatic amino acids. FAH deficiency causes the fatal metabolic disease hereditary tyrosinemia type I. Carbon-carbon bond hydrolysis is also important in the microbial metabolism of aromatic compounds as part of the global carbon cycle.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Indiana University School of Medicine 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA. dtimm@iupui.edu