Members of this protein family are 6-phospho 3-hexuloisomerase (PHI), or the PHI domain of a fusion protein. This enzyme is part of the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) pathway, which in one direction removes the toxic metabolite formaldehyde by assimilation into fructose-6-phosphate. In the other direction, in species lacking a complete pentose phosphate pathway, the RuMP pathway yields ribulose-5-phosphate, necessary for nucleotide biosynthesis, at the cost of also yielding formaldehyde. These latter species tend usually have a formaldehyde-activating enzyme to attach formaldehyde to the C1 carrier tetrahydromethanopterin.
- Gene:
- hxlB
GO Terms:- Molecular Function:
- isomerase activity (GO:0016853)
- Molecular Function:
- hexulose-6-phosphate isomerase activity (GO:0043800)
- Biological Process:
- carbohydrate derivative metabolic process (GO:1901135)
- Date:
- 2024-06-21