The catalytic mechanism of Escherichia coli aspartate carbamoyltransferase: a molecular modelling study.

Based on molecular modelling study, we propose that the reaction between L-aspartate an carbamoylphosphate, catalyzed by E. coli aspartate carbamoyltransferase, may proceed via a tetrahedral intermediate and that the breakdown of the intermediate is facilitated by an intramolecular proton transfer between the amino group of L-aspartate and a terminal phosphate oxygen of carbamoylphosphate.