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 UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine:D-glutamate ligase (ADP-forming). Other names in common use include MurD synthetase, UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamate synthetase, uridine diphospho-N-acetylmuramoylalanyl-D-glutamate synthetase, D-glutamate-adding enzyme, D-glutamate ligase, UDP-Mur-NAC-L-Ala:D-Glu ligase, UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine:glutamate ligase (ADP-forming), and UDP-N-acetylmuramoylalanine-D-glutamate ligase. This enzyme participates in d-glutamine and d-glutamate metabolism and peptidoglycan biosynthesis.
Ito, E; Strominger JL (1962). "Enzymatic synthesis of the peptide in bacterial uridine nucleotides I. Enzymatic addition of L-alanine, D-glutamic acid, and L-lysine". J. Biol. Chem. 237: 2689–2695.
van Heijenoort J (October 2001). "Recent advances in the formation of the bacterial peptidoglycan monomer unit". Natural Product Reports. 18 (5): 503–19. doi:10.1039/a804532a. PMID11699883.