biology

Glutamate formimidoyltransferase

Glutamate formimidoyltransferase is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Glutamate formimidoyltransferase rather than just read about it. In short: Glutamate formimidoyltransferase is a methyltransferase enzyme which uses tetrahydrofolate as part of histidine catabolism. It catalyses two reactions.

Key takeaways

Glutamate formimidoyltransferase belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Glutamate formimidoyltransferase to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Glutamate formimidoyltransferase from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Glutamate formimidoyltransferase is a methyltransferase enzyme which uses tetrahydrofolate as part of histidine catabolism. It catalyses two reactions. In the first, N-formimidoyl-L-glutamate (from histidine) transfers its formimidoyl group to tetrahydrofolate.

Alternatively, the enzyme can catalyse the transfer of a formyl group from N-formyl-L-glutamic acid.

It is classified under EC 2.1.2.5 and in mammals is found as part of a bifunctional enzyme that also has formimidoyltetrahydrofolate cyclodeaminase activity.

Structure The formiminotransferase (FT) domain of formiminotransferase-cyclodeaminase (FTCD) forms a homodimer, with each protomer comprising two subdomains. The formiminotransferase domain has an N-terminal subdomain that is made up of a six-stranded mixed beta-pleated sheet and five alpha helices, which are arranged on the external surface of the beta sheet. This, in turn, faces the beta-sheet of the C-terminal subdomain to form a double beta-sheet layer. The two subdomains are separated by a short linker sequence, which is not thought to be any more flexible than the remainder of the molecule. The substrate is predicted to form a number of contacts with residues found in both the N-terminal and C-terminal subdomains. In humans, deficiency of this enzyme results in a disease phenotype.

References

External links Glutamate+formimidoyltransferase at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Glutamate formimidoyltransferase

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Glutamate formimidoyltransferase claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Glutamate formimidoyltransferase before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Glutamate formimidoyltransferase ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Glutamate formimidoyltransferase

In research: Glutamate formimidoyltransferase appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Glutamate formimidoyltransferase in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Glutamate formimidoyltransferase is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics EC 2.1.2, Protein domains, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Glutamate formimidoyltransferase outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Glutamate formimidoyltransferase in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Glutamate formimidoyltransferase means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Glutamate formimidoyltransferase out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Glutamate formimidoyltransferase in simple terms?

Glutamate formimidoyltransferase is a methyltransferase enzyme which uses tetrahydrofolate as part of histidine catabolism. It catalyses two reactions.

Why does Glutamate formimidoyltransferase matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Glutamate formimidoyltransferase?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Glutamate formimidoyltransferase.