<p>Methylglyoxal synthase (MGS) [<cite idref="PUB00006181"/>] catalyzes the conversion ofdihydroxyacetone phosphate to methylglyoxal and phosphate:<reaction>Glycerone phosphate = methylglyoxal + phosphate</reaction> It providesbacteria with an alternative to triosephosphate isomerase for metabolizingdihydroxyacetone phosphate.MGS is a small protein of about 13 to 17 kDa. An aspartate residue is involvedin the catalytic mechanism. Methylglyoxal synthase contains a domain shared by other enzymes. Other proteins containing this domain include purine biosynthesis protein PurH and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase.</p>This entry represents a short conserved region that contains an aspartate residue involved in catalytic activty.