Transketolase (TKT) is a homodimer in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) that catalyzes the interketol transfer between ketoses and aldoses. This enzyme, along with transaldolase, connects the nonoxidative branch of the PPP with glycolysis. Several regions of TKT are evolutionarily conserved from gram-negative bacteria to mammals (3). There is evidence that hypoxic and non-hypoxic induction of HIF1-α increases the expression of TKT. Because cancer cells rely on TKT in altered cell metabolism for nucleic acid synthesis, work has been done to develop inhibitors of TKT as novel cancer treatments. |