engineering

Leukotriene-C4 synthase

Leukotriene-C4 synthase is a engineering 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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase rather than just read about it. In short: The enzyme leukotriene-C4 synthase (EC 4.4.1.20) catalyzes the reaction leukotriene C4 ⇌ {\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons } leukotriene A4 + glutathione This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the class of carbon-sulfur lyases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is leukotriene-C4 glutathione-lyase (leukotriene-A4-forming).

Key takeaways

Leukotriene-C4 synthase belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Leukotriene-C4 synthase to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Leukotriene-C4 synthase from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The enzyme leukotriene-C4 synthase (EC 4.4.1.20) catalyzes the reaction

leukotriene C4 ⇌ {\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons } leukotriene A4 + glutathione This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the class of carbon-sulfur lyases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is leukotriene-C4 glutathione-lyase (leukotriene-A4-forming). Other names in common use include leukotriene C4 synthetase, LTC4 synthase, LTC4 synthetase, leukotriene A4:glutathione S-leukotrienyltransferase, (7E,9E,11Z,14Z)-(5S,6R)-5,6-epoxyicosa-7,9,11,14-tetraenoate:glutathione leukotriene-transferase, (epoxide-ring-opening), (7E,9E,11Z,14Z)-(5S,6R)-6-(glutathion-S-yl)-5-hydroxyicosa-7,9,11,14-tetraenoate glutathione-lyase (epoxide-forming). This enzyme participates in arachidonic acid metabolism.

Structural studies As of late 2007, 3 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes PDB: 2PNO, PDB: 2UUH, and PDB: 2UUI.

References

Bach MK, Brashler JR, Morton DR Jr (1984). "Solubilization and characterization of the leukotriene C4 synthetase of rat basophil leukemia cells: a novel, particulate glutathione S-transferase". Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 230 (2): 455–65. doi:10.1016/0003-9861(84)90426-0. PMID 6324687. Shimizu T (1988). "Enzymes functional in the syntheses of leukotrienes and related compounds". Int. J. Biochem. 20 (7): 661–6. doi:10.1016/0020-711X(88)90160-7. PMID 2846379. Lam BK, Austen KF (2002). "Leukotriene C4 synthase: a pivotal enzyme in cellular biosynthesis of the cysteinyl leukotrienes". Prostaglandins. Other. Lipid. Mediat. 68–69: 511–20. doi:10.1016/S0090-6980(02)00052-7. PMID 12432940. Christmas P, Weber BM, McKee M, Brown D, Soberman RJ (2002). "Membrane localization and topology of leukotriene C4 synthase". J. Biol. Chem. 277 (32): 28902–8. doi:10.1074/jbc.M203074200. PMID 12023288.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Leukotriene-C4 synthase

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Leukotriene-C4 synthase claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, 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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase 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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase 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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase

In research: Leukotriene-C4 synthase appears in engineering 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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase 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: Leukotriene-C4 synthase is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics EC 4.4.1, Enzyme stubs, Enzymes of known structure, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Leukotriene-C4 synthase 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.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Leukotriene-C4 synthase” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Leukotriene-C4 synthase in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Leukotriene-C4 synthase 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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Leukotriene-C4 synthase in simple terms?

The enzyme leukotriene-C4 synthase (EC 4.4.1.20) catalyzes the reaction leukotriene C4 ⇌ {\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons } leukotriene A4 + glutathione This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the class of carbon-sulfur lyases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is leukotri…

Why does Leukotriene-C4 synthase matter?

Because it connects several engineering 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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase?

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 Leukotriene-C4 synthase.