L-aspartate ammonia-lyase and fumarate hydratase share extensive sequence homology

Based on our recent determinations of the nucleotide sequences of the L-aspartate ammonia-lyase genes from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens, primary structures of the two L-aspartate ammonia-lyases and fumarate hydratases from Bacillus subtilis and E. coli (N-terminal partial sequence) were compared by computer analysis. These four enzymes exhibited a significant homology of at least 37%, implying that L-aspartate ammonia-lyase and fumarate hydratase share a common evolutionary origin. To authors' knowledge, this feature appears to be the first example showing that two kinds of enzymes catalyzing different types of reactions, albeit similar, share such a high degree of sequence homology.