Published on None in volume (1999) Structure 7: 733-744 .

PubMed ID: 10425676 

DOI: 10.1016/S0969-2126(99)80098-7

Abstract:

Pyruvate formate lyase (PFL) catalyses a key step in Escherichia coli anaerobic glycolysis by converting pyruvate and CoA to formate and acetylCoA. The PFL mechanism involves an unusual radical cleavage of pyruvate, involving an essential C alpha radical of Gly734 and two cysteine residues, Cys418 and Cys419, which may form thiyl radicals required for catalysis. We undertook this study to understand the structural basis for catalysis.