Crystal structures were determined to 1.8 Å resolution of the glycolytic enzyme fructose-1,6-bis(phosphate) aldolase trapped in complex with its substrate and a competitive inhibitor, mannitol-1,6-bis(phosphate). The enzyme substrate complex corresponded to the postulated Schiff base intermediate and has reaction geometry consistent with incipient C 3 -C 4 bond cleavage catalyzed by Glu-187, which is adjacent to the Schiff base forming Lys-229. Atom arrangement about the cleaved bond in the reaction intermediate mimics a pericyclic transition state occurring in nonenzymatic aldol condensations. Lys-146 hydrogen-bonds the substrate C 4 hydroxyl and assists substrate cleavage by stabilizing the developing negative charge on the C 4 hydroxyl during proton abstraction. Mannitol-1,6-bis(phosphate) forms a noncovalent complex in the active site whose binding geometry mimics the covalent carbinolamine precursor. Glu-187 hydrogen-bonds the C 2 hydroxyl of the inhibitor in the enzyme complex, substantiating a proton transfer role by Glu-187 in catalyzing the conversion of the carbinolamine intermediate to Schiff base. Modeling of the acyclic substrate configuration into the active site shows Glu-187, in acid form, hydrogen-bonding both substrate C 2 carbonyl and C 4 hydroxyl, thereby aligning the substrate ketose for nucleophilic attack by Lys-229. The multifunctional role of Glu-187 epitomizes a canonical mechanistic feature conserved in Schiff base-forming aldolases catalyzing carbohydrate metabolism. Trapping of tagatose-1,6-bis(phosphate), a diastereoisomer of fructose 1,6-bis(phosphate), displayed stereospecific discrimination and reduced ketohexose binding specificity. Each ligand induces homologous conformational changes in two adjacent ␣-helical regions that promote phosphate binding in the active site.Aldolases are ubiquitous enzymes and have been a subject of continuous interest because of their ability to catalyze carboncarbon bond formation in living organisms. Their role is best known in glycolysis, where fructose 1,6-bis(phosphate) (FBP) 1 aldolases (EC 4.1.2.13) promote the reversible cleavage of FBP to triose phosphates, D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP). The class I enzyme uses covalent catalysis, implicating a Schiff base formed between a lysine residue on the enzyme and a ketose substrate. In vertebrates, there are three tissue-specific class I aldolases (aldolase A (found in skeletal muscle and red blood cells), aldolase B (found in liver, kidney, and small intestine), and aldolase C (found in neuronal tissues and smooth muscle)), and they are distinguishable on the basis of immunological and kinetic properties (1). The catalytic mechanism has been extensively studied using class I aldolase A from rabbit muscle, and key intermediates are depicted in Scheme I.In the forward reaction, a reactive lysine residue in the active site attacks the ketose (2) of the acyclic FBP substrate (3, 4). Transient formation of a dipolar tetrahedral carbinolamine with the keto function yi...