This enzyme belongs to the family of ligases, specifically those forming carbon-nitrogen bonds as acid-D-amino-acid ligases (peptide synthases). The systematic name of this enzyme class is 7,8-dihydropteroate:L-glutamate ligase (ADP-forming). Other names in common use include dihydrofolate synthetase, 7,8-dihydrofolate synthetase, H2-folate synthetase, 7,8-dihydropteroate:L-glutamate ligase (ADP), dihydrofolate synthetase-folylpolyglutamate synthetase, folylpoly-(gamma-glutamate) synthetase-dihydrofolate synthase, FHFS, FHFS/FPGS, dihydropteroate:L-glutamate ligase (ADP-forming), and DHFS. This enzyme participates in folate biosynthesis.
Structural studies
As of late 2007, 3 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes 1W78, 1W7K, and 2BMB.