Folate-dependent enzyme

Folate-dependent enzymes are a class of metabolic enzymes that require folate (vitamin B9) or its derivatives as essential cofactors to catalyze reactions in one-carbon metabolism, specifically the transfer of one-carbon units for biosynthetic and regulatory processes[1][2][3][6]. Key folate-dependent enzymes include methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MS), serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), and others, which participate in DNA synthesis, DNA repair, methylation, and amino acid metabolism[3][6][1]. Dysregulation or inherited defects in these enzymes are implicated in a variety of diseases, most notably cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders, often due to aberrant DNA synthesis or methylation patterns[1][3][6]. This entry is considered incorrect or too broad as a therapeutic target, because "Folic acid on folate-dependent enzymes" does not refer to a single molecular target, but rather a large family of enzymes with different specificities and roles; drug development and biological studies typically target well-defined individual folate-dependent enzymes, not the collective family[2][3][6][4].

Other names

Folate coenzyme-dependent enzymeOne-carbon metabolism enzymeEnzyme of folate pathway

Antifolates (competitive inhibition of folate-dependent enzymes) Modulation of DNA synthesis and methylation