An acyl‐activating enzyme ( AAE ) 3 homolog encodes an oxalyl‐ CoA synthetase in Bradysia coprophila

Although oxalate is common in nature, our understanding of its metabolism remains incomplete. To our knowledge, no oxalate catabolic activity has been identified in any animal from the Metazoa kingdom. In this study, we identify the first oxalate degradative activity in Metazoa. We show that the Bradysia coprophila genome contains an acyl-activating enzyme 3 (BcAAE3) that can catalyze the conversion of oxalate to oxalyl-CoA. Based on our results, we propose that the oxalyl-CoA synthetase activity encoded by BcAAE3 catalyzes the first step in a CoA-dependent pathway of oxalate degradation. In addition, our findings extend the importance of the CoA-dependent pathway of oxalate degradation from simple microbes to complex animals.