InterPro domain: IPR015443

Aldose 1-epimerase ( 5.1.3.3 ) (mutarotase) is the enzyme responsible for the anomeric interconversion of D-glucose and other aldoses between their alpha- and beta-forms. The sequence of mutarotase from two bacteria, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Streptococcus thermophilus is available [ 1 ]. It has also been shown that, on the basis of extensive sequence similarities, a mutarotase domain seems to be present in the C-terminal half of the fungal GAL10 protein that encodes, in the N-terminal part, UDP-glucose 4-epimerase. The best conserved region in the sequence of mutarotase is cantered around a conserved histidine residue which may be involved in the catalytic mechanism.

1. Carbohydrate utilization in Streptococcus thermophilus: characterization of the genes for aldose 1-epimerase (mutarotase) and UDPglucose 4-epimerase. J. Bacteriol. 172, 4037-47