Formate Tetrahydrofolate Ligase (FTHFL) is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the folate metabolism pathway. It is responsible for the biosynthesis of tetrahydrofolate (THF), an essential cofactor in various enzymatic reactions involved in the transfer of one-carbon units.
FTHFL catalyzes the formation of THF by ligating formate, a one-carbon compound, with N^5,N^10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (5,10-CH2-THF). This reaction, known as formyl-THF synthetase activity, requires the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as an energy source. The enzyme carries out this reaction by transferring the formyl group from ATP to 5,10-CH2-THF, leading to the formation of N^10-formyltetrahydrofolate (10-CHO-THF).
FTHFL is present in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, where it is encoded by the FTHFL gene. It is commonly found in various organisms, including bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotic parasites. The enzyme plays a vital role in the folate cycle, enabling the production of the crucial cofactor THF. THF is involved in several metabolic processes, including the synthesis of purine and thymidylate nucleotides, methionine regeneration, and the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine.
Understanding the function and regulation of FTHFL is important in studying the folate metabolism pathway, as well as its role in various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. Inhibitors or
