Cis-aconitate is used to designate the isomer (Z)-prop-1-ene-1,2,3- tricarboxylate. Also converts isocitrate into cis-aconitate.

Aconitase is the enzyme from the tricarboxylic acid cycle that catalyzes the reversible isomerization of citrate and isocitrate. Cis-aconitate is formed as an intermediary product during the course of the reaction. In eukaryotes two isozymes of aconitase are known to exist: one found in the mitochondrial matrix and the other found in the cytoplasm. Aconitase, in its active form, contains a 4Fe-4S iron-sulfur cluster; three cysteine residues have been shown to be ligands of the 4Fe-4S cluster.

It has been shown that the aconitase family also contains other related enzymes. As a signature for proteins from the aconitase family it has been selected two conserved regions that contain the three cysteine ligands of the 4Fe-4S cluster.
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