Description
The enzyme is involved in glucose and galactose catabolism via the nonphosphorylative variant of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway in Picrophilus torridus and via the branched variant of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway in Sulfolobus solfataricus. In vitro it utilizes D-gluconate with 6-10 fold higher catalytic efficiency than D-galactonate. It requires Mg2+ for activity. cf. EC 4.2.1.6, galactonate dehydratase, and EC 4.2.1.39, gluconate dehydratase