Which enzyme is responsible for converting fumarate to L-Malate?

The enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of fumarate to L-malate is fumarase. This enzyme plays a crucial role in the citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle. During this specific reaction, fumarate, a double-bonded compound, undergoes hydration to form L-malate, which has a single bond between the carbon atoms.

Fumarase facilitates this transformation by adding a water molecule across the double bond of fumarate. The reaction is reversible, meaning that fumarate can be regenerated from L-malate under certain conditions, although the forward reaction is often favored in metabolic pathways.

Understanding the role of fumarase in the context of the citric acid cycle is important as it helps maintain the flow of metabolites through this central energy-producing pathway in cellular respiration. The other enzymes listed have distinct functions; for instance, succinate dehydrogenase is involved in the conversion of succinate to fumarate, and malate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of malate to oxaloacetate. Succinyl-CoA synthetase plays a role in the conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate. Each of these enzymes is critical to their respective reactions but does not catalyze the