Oxalate decarboxylase explained

In enzymology, an oxalate decarboxylase is an oxalate degrading enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

oxalate + H⁺

formate + CO₂

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are oxalate and H⁺, whereas its two products are formate 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 oxalate carboxy-lyase (formate-forming). This enzyme is also called oxalate carboxy-lyase. This enzyme participates in glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism.

Structural studies

As of late 2007, 5 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes,,,, and .

References

• HAYAISHI O, JAKOBY WB, OHMURA E . 1956 . Enzymatic decarboxylation of oxalic acid . J. Biol. Chem. . 222 . 435 - 46 . 13367015 . 1 . 10.1016/S0021-9258(19)50807-9 . free .
• Tanner A, Bornemann S . 2000 . Bacillus subtilis YvrK is an acid-induced oxalate decarboxylase . J. Bacteriol. . 182 . 5271 - 3 . 10960116 . 10.1128/JB.182.18.5271-5273.2000 . 18 . 94680 .
• Tanner A, Bowater L, Fairhurst SA, Bornemann S . 2001 . Oxalate decarboxylase requires manganese and dioxygen for activity Overexpression and characterization of Bacillus subtilis YvrK and YoaN . J. Biol. Chem. . 276 . 43627 - 34 . 11546787 . 10.1074/jbc.M107202200 . 47 . free .