Galactose Mutarotase is a member of the aldose epimerase family and is involved in hexose metabolism. Through its catalytic activity, Galactose Mutarotase converts beta-aldose to alpha-aldose on several sugars, including D-glucose, L-arabinose and D-xylose. Found in the cytoplasm of most cells, Galactose Mutarotase plays a key role in galactose metabolism by catalyzing the conversion of beta-D-galactose to alpha-D-galactose. The enzyme contains two residues, Glu 304 and His 170, that are critical for catalysis, as well as His 96 and Asp 243, which are important for proper substrate recognition by the active site. No known diseases have been associated with mutations in the Galactose Mutarotase gene, although inhibition of Galactose Mutarotase activity could potentially be associated with a build-up of unmetabolized sugars during metabolism.
