This family contains both shikimate and quinate dehydrogenases. Shikimate 5-dehydrogenase catalyses the conversion of shikimate to 5-dehydroshikimate. This reaction is part of the shikimate pathway which is involved in the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids. Quinate 5-dehydrogenase catalyses the conversion of quinate to 5-dehydroquinate. This reaction is part of the quinate pathway where quinic acid is exploited as a source of carbon in prokaryotes and microbial eukaryotes. Both the shikimate and quinate pathways share two common pathway metabolites 3-dehydroquinate and dehydroshikimate.

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