Malate dehydrogenase (oxaloacetate-decarboxylating) (NADP+)

Malate dehydrogenase (oxaloacetate-decarboxylating) (NADP+) or NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * (S)-malate + NADP+ $$\rightleftharpoons$$ pyruvate + CO2 + NADPH

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are (S)-malate and NADP+, whereas its 3 products are pyruvate, CO2, and NADPH. Malate is oxidized to pyruvate and CO2, and NADP+ is reduced to NADPH.

This enzyme belongs to the family of oxidoreductases, specifically those acting on the CH-OH group of donor with NAD+ or NADP+ as acceptor. The systematic name of this enzyme class is (S)-malate:NADP+ oxidoreductase (oxaloacetate-decarboxylating). This enzyme participates in pyruvate metabolism and carbon fixation. NADP-malic enzyme is one of three decarboxylation enzymes used in the inorganic carbon concentrating mechanisms of C4 and CAM plants. The others are NAD-malic enzyme and PEP carboxykinase.

Enzyme Regulation
This protein may use the morpheein model of allosteric regulation.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 3 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , and.