Thiolase are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze the reversible thiolytic cleavage of 3-ketoacyl-CoA into acyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA, a 2-step reaction involving a covalent intermediate formed with a catalytic cysteine. They are found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (cytosol, microbodies and mitochondria). There are 2 functional different classes: thiolase-I (3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase) and thiolase-II (acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase). Thiolase-I can cleave longer fatty acid molecules and plays an important role in the beta-oxidative degradation of fatty acids. Thiolase-II has a high substrate specificity. Although it can cleave acetoacyl-CoA, its main function is the synthesis of acetoacyl-CoA from two molecules of acetyl-CoA, which gives it importance in several biosynthetic pathways.
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