enzymology An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...

, an undecaprenol kinase () is an

enzyme An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...

that

catalyzes Catalysis () is the increase in rate of a chemical reaction due to an added substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed by the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recycles quick ...

the

chemical reaction A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the chemistry, chemical transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. When chemical reactions occur, the atoms are rearranged and the reaction is accompanied by an Gibbs free energy, ...

:ATP + undecaprenol

\rightleftharpoons

ADP + undecaprenyl phosphate Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are ATP and undecaprenol, whereas its two

products Product may refer to: Business * Product (business), an item that can be offered to a market to satisfy the desire or need of a customer. * Product (project management), a deliverable or set of deliverables that contribute to a business solution ...

are ADP and

undecaprenyl phosphate Undecaprenyl phosphate (UP), also known lipid-P, bactoprenol and C55-P., is a molecule with the primary function of trafficking polysaccharides across the cell membrane, largely contributing to the overall structure of the cell wall in Gram-posit ...

. This enzyme belongs to the family of

transferase In biochemistry, a transferase is any one of a class of enzymes that catalyse the transfer of specific functional groups (e.g. a methyl or glycosyl group) from one molecule (called the donor) to another (called the acceptor). They are involved ...

s, specifically those transferring phosphorus-containing groups (

phosphotransferase In molecular biology, phosphotransferases are proteins in the transferase family of enzymes ( EC number 2.7) that catalyze certain chemical reactions. The general form of the phosphorylation reactions they catalyze is: \ce Where P is a phosphat ...

s) with an alcohol group as acceptor. The

systematic name A systematic name is a name given in a systematic way to one unique group, organism, object or chemical substance, out of a specific population or collection. Systematic names are usually part of a nomenclature. A semisystematic name or semitrivi ...

of this enzyme class is ATP:undecaprenol phosphotransferase. Other names in common use include isoprenoid alcohol kinase, isoprenoid alcohol phosphokinase, C55-isoprenoid alcohol phosphokinase, isoprenoid alcohol kinase (phosphorylating), C55-isoprenoid alcohol kinase, C55-isoprenyl alcohol phosphokinase, and polyisoprenol kinase. This enzyme participates in

peptidoglycan Peptidoglycan or murein is a unique large macromolecule, a polysaccharide, consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like layer (sacculus) that surrounds the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. The sugar component consists of alternating ...

biosynthesis.

References

* EC 2.7.1 Enzymes of unknown structure {{2.7-enzyme-stub