InterPro domain: IPR017145

This entry contains proteins that are related to glutamate carboxypeptidase and classed as non-peptidase homologues belonging to MEROPS peptidase family M20 (glutamate carboxypeptidase, clan MH) [ 1 ].

The bacterial amidohydrolase abgB catalyses the cleavage of p-aminobenzoyl-glutamate, a folate catabolite in Escherichia coli, to p-aminobenzoate and glutamate. p-Aminobenzoyl-glutamate is a natural end product of folate catabolism, and its utilization is initiated by the abg region gene product, AbgT, by enabling uptake of its into the cell in a concentration-dependent, saturable manner. It is subsequently cleaved by AbgA and AbgB (sometimes referred to as AbgAB) [ 2 , 3 ].

1. Evolutionary families of metallopeptidases. Meth. Enzymol. 248, 183-228
2. Escherichia coli abg genes enable uptake and cleavage of the folate catabolite p-aminobenzoyl-glutamate. J. Bacteriol. 189, 3329-34
3. Characterization of mutations that allow p-aminobenzoyl-glutamate utilization by Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 180, 6260-8