<p>This group represents a predicted bifunctional diaminopimelate decarboxylase/aspartate kinase from the Gammaproteobacteria.</p><p>Bifunctional enzymes permit the direct channelling of intermediates between catalytic centres involved in consecutive reactions in a pathway, offering an efficient means of directing the flow of catalysis and protecting intermediates from degradation [<cite idref="PUB00014557"/>]. Both diaminopimelate decarboxylase and aspartate kinase are involved in lysine biosynthesis in bacteria, which can be synthesized from aspartate via the formation of the intermediate diaminopimelate (DAP), a metabolite that is also involved in peptidoglycan formation [<cite idref="PUB00014558"/>]. Aspartate kinase catalyses the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to aspartic acid, while diaminopimelate decarboxylase catalyses the conversion of diaminopimelate to lysine.</p> Bifunctional diaminopimelate decarboxylase/aspartate kinase