Thymidine Phosphorylase

In enzymology, a thymidine phosphorylase (EC 2.4.2.4) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

thymidine + phosphate thymine + 2-deoxy-alpha-D-ribose 1-phosphate

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are thymidine and phosphate, whereas its two products are thymine and 2-deoxy-alpha-D-ribose 1-phosphate.

Thymidine phosphorylase is involved and used in the diagnosis of mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE).

This enzyme belongs to the family of glycosyltransferases, specifically the pentosyltransferases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is thymidine:phosphate deoxy-alpha-D-ribosyltransferase. Other names in common use include pyrimidine phosphorylase, thymidine-orthophosphate deoxyribosyltransferase, animal growth regulators, blood platelet-derived endothelial cell, growth factors, blood platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor, deoxythymidine phosphorylase, gliostatins, pyrimidine deoxynucleoside phosphorylase, and thymidine:phosphate deoxy-D-ribosyltransferase. This enzyme participates in 3 metabolic pathways: purine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and bladder cancer.