Alkaptonuria (AKU), a rare hereditary disorder, was the first disease to be interpreted as an inborn error of metabolism. The
deficiency causes homogentisic aciduria, ochronosis, and arthritis. AKU patients are deficient for homogentisate 1,2 dioxygenase (EC:1.13.11.5), the enzyme that mediates the conversion of homogentisate to maleylacetoacetate; a step in the catabolism of both tyrosine and phenylalanine.
Titus GP, Mueller HA, Burgner J, Rodriguez De Cordoba S, Penalva MA, Timm DE.
Crystal structure of human homogentisate dioxygenase.
Nat. Struct. Biol. 7 2000 542-6
[PubMed: 10876237] http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/76756