InterPro domain: IPR036565

Mur ligases play an essential role in the intracellular biosynthesis of bacterial peptidoglycan. Mur ligases share the same three-domain topology, with N-terminal and central domains responsible for binding the UDP-precursor and ATP, respectively, while the C-terminal part binds the condensing amino acid residue [ 1 , 2 ].

This superfamily represents the central domain from all four Mur enzymes: UDP-N-acetylmuramate-L-alanine ligase (MurC), UDP-N-acetylmuramoylalanine-D-glutamate ligase (MurD), UDP-N-acetylmuramoylalanyl-D-glutamate-2,6-diaminopimelate ligase (MurE), and UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-tripeptide-D-alanyl-D-alanine ligase (MurF). It also includes folylpolyglutamate synthase that transfers glutamate to folylpolyglutamate and cyanophycin synthetase that catalyses the biosynthesis of the cyanobacterial reserve material multi-L-arginyl-poly-L-aspartate (cyanophycin) [ 3 ].

1. Structural and functional characterization of enantiomeric glutamic acid derivatives as potential transition state analogue inhibitors of MurD ligase. J. Mol. Biol. 370, 107-15
2. Crystallographic Study of Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis Enzyme MurD: Domain Movement Revisited. PLoS One 11, e0152075
3. Molecular characterization of cyanophycin synthetase, the enzyme catalyzing the biosynthesis of the cyanobacterial reserve material multi-L-arginyl-poly-L-aspartate (cyanophycin). Eur. J. Biochem. 254, 154-9