1. An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of one epimer into another epimer of the same compound.
Usage: biochemistry; technical

Examples

• Epimerase enzymes play a crucial role in carbohydrate metabolism by interconverting epimeric sugars.
• UDP-galactose 4-epimerase is an important epimerase involved in the Leloir pathway of galactose metabolism.
• The epimerase catalyzes the epimerization of glucose-6-phosphate to mannose-6-phosphate.
• Deficiency in certain epimerase enzymes can lead to metabolic disorders affecting sugar processing.
• Researchers studied how epimerase activity changes under different pH and temperature conditions.