Glycine N-acyltransferase

Glycine N-acyltransferase (GLYAT), also known as acyl-CoA:glycine N-acyltransferase (ACGNAT), (EC 2.3.1.13) is an enzyme that catalyzes a general chemical reaction in which glycine is converted to an N-acyl derivative.^[1][2]

glycine + an acyl-CoA ${\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons }$ N-acylglycine + CoA

For example, glycine reacts with benzoyl-CoA to give hippuric acid:^[3]

Benzoic acid is metabolized by butyrate-CoA ligase into the intermediate, benzoyl-CoA, which is then metabolized by glycine N-acyltransferase into hippuric acid.^[3]

The enzyme is a transferases, specifically those acyltransferases transferring groups other than aminoacyl groups. The systematic name of this enzyme class is acyl-CoA:glycine N-acyltransferase. Other names in common use include glycine acyltransferase, and glycine-N-acylase.^[4]