2009/06/17

Pyruvate carboxylase structural studies

Researchers from the CICbioGUNE's Structural Biology Unit have recently resolved the three-dimensional structure for pyruvate carboxylase using cryo-electron microscopy. Pyruvate carboxylase is a conserved metabolic enzyme that forms oxalacetate, an intermediate metabolite in the citric acid cycle. This enzyme is highly conserved and found in most living organisms. In humans, pyruvate carboxylase plays a crucial role in gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis, insulin secretion and other several metabolic processes. The work describes the cryoEM map of this enzyme and provides a snapshot of pyruvate carboxylase in its native state. The report has been published in "Structure" journal and is a result of a current collaboration with a crystallographic team from Columbia University (NY). The project focuses on the functioning of pyruvate carboxylase and the role of this protein's mutations in severe metabolic diseases such as lactic acidemia, hypoglycemia, and psychomotor retardation.