Bridging the gap between maleate hydratase, citraconase and isopropylmalate isomerase: Insights into the single broad-specific enzyme.

Developing a microbial chassis with efficient enzymes is key to the synthesis of products by metabolic engineering. The wide distribution of desired pathway enzymes across several species and categories is posing major challenges in screening and selection of the same for pathway reconstruction. One such key enzyme is isopropylmalate isomerase (IPMI) of leucine/isoleucine biosynthetic pathway.