Ribose-5-phosphate isomerase (Rpi, EC 5.3.1.6) is widespread in microorganisms, animals, and plants. It has a pivotal role in the pentose phosphate pathway and responsible for catalyzing the isomerization between d-ribulose 5-phosphate and d-ribose 5-phosphate. In recent years, Rpi has received considerable attention as a multipurpose biocatalyst for production of rare sugars, including d-allose, l-rhamnulose, l-lyxose, and l-tagatose. Besides, it has been thought of as a potential drug target in the treatment of trypanosomatid-caused diseases such as Chagas’ disease, leishmaniasis, and human African trypanosomiasis. Despite increased research activities, up to now, no systematic review of Rpi has been published. To fill this gap, this paper provides detailed information about the enzymatic properties of various Rpis. Furthermore, structural features, catalytic mechanism, and molecular modifications of Rpis are summarized based on extensive crystal structure research. Additionally, the applications of Rpi in rare sugar production and the role of Rpi in trypanocidal drug design are reviewed.

5-磷酸核糖异构酶（Rpi，EC 5.3.1.6）广泛存在于微生物，动物和植物中。它具有在关键作用的戊糖磷酸途径和负责催化异构化之间d -ribulose 5-磷酸和d -核糖-5-磷酸。近年来，Rpi作为一种生产稀有糖的多功能生物催化剂受到了广泛关注，其中包括d-阿洛糖，l-鼠李糖，l- lyxose和l-糖。-塔格糖。此外，它被认为是治疗锥虫病引起的锥虫病的潜在药物靶点，如查加斯氏病，利什曼病和人类非洲锥虫病。尽管增加了研究活动，但到目前为止，尚未发表有关Rpi的系统综述。为了填补这一空白，本文提供了有关各种Rpi的酶学性质的详细信息。此外，基于广泛的晶体结构研究总结了Rpi的结构特征，催化机理和分子修饰。此外，综述了Rpi在稀有糖生产中的应用以及Rpi在锥虫杀菌药物设计中的作用。