NeuB is the prokaryotic N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac)synthase. It catalyses the direct formation of Neu5Ac (the mostcommon sialic acid) by condensation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)and N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc). This reaction has only beenobserved in prokaryotes; eukaryotes synthesise the 9-phosphateform, Neu5Ac-9-P, and utilise ManNAc-6-P instead of ManNAc. Sucheukaryotic enzymes are not present in this family [1]. Thisfamily also contains SpsE spore coat polysaccharide biosynthesisproteins. NeuB family NeuB