InterPro domain: IPR000890

Acetate kinase, which is predominantly found in microorganisms, facilitates the production of acetyl-CoA by phosphorylating acetate in the presence of ATP and a divalent cation [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. The enzyme is important in the process of glycolysis, enzyme levels being increased in the presence of excess glucose. The growth of a bacterial mutant lacking acetate kinase has been shown to be inhibited by glucose, suggesting that the enzyme is involved in excretion of excess carbohydrate [ 4 ]. A related enzyme, butyrate kinase, facilitates the formation of butyryl-CoA by phosphorylating butyrate in the presence of ATP to form butyryl phosphate [ 4 ].

1. Regulation of the Bacillus subtilis acetate kinase gene by CcpA. J. Bacteriol. 175, 7348-55
2. Cloning and sequence analysis of the genes encoding phosphotransbutyrylase and butyrate kinase from Clostridium acetobutylicum NCIMB 8052. Gene 131, 107-12
3. Structural and mechanistic investigations on Salmonella typhimurium acetate kinase (AckA): identification of a putative ligand binding pocket at the dimeric interface. BMC Struct. Biol. 12, 24