UDP-Glucose 4-Epimerase, Galactowaldenase, UDP-Galactose 4-Epimerase, GALE
The enzyme UDP-Glucose 4-Epimerase (GALE) is a homodimeric epimerase found in bacterial, plant and mammalian cells. UDP-Glucose 4-Epimerase performs the final step in the Leloir pathway of Galactose metabolism, it catalyzes two distinct but analogous reactions: the epimerization of UDP-Gglucose to UDP-Galactose and the epimerization of UDP-N-Acetylglucosamine to UDP-N-Acetylgalactosamine. The bifunctional nature of the enzyme has the important metabolic consequence that mutant cells (or individuals) are dependent not only on exogenous galactose, but also on exogenous N-acetylgalactosamine as a necessary precursor for the synthesis of glycoproteins and glycolipids.
