Amino acids synthesis pathways

Now we will return briefly to Sections 3.8-3.11 and 4.6-4.8 where we considered the general problem of multiple flows, here of H, C, N, O, S and P. We observe immediately that all the products are from the same small molecule environmental sources and are required to be formed in relatively fixed amounts using the same source of energy and a series of intermediates. Controlling all the processes to bring about optimum cellular production are feedbacks between them and linked with the code which generates proteins, and here we note particularly enzymes, i.e. catalysts. The catalysts are made from the amino acids, the synthesis of which they themselves manage, while the amino acids control the catalysts so as to maintain a restricted balanced set of reaction pathways in an autocatalytic assembly. It is also the feedback controls on both the DNA (RNA) from the same units used in the... 

Conceptually interesting is the synthesis of the oxazole system 94 through a Beckmann rearrangement of a-formyl ketoxime dimethyl acetals 93 which demonstrated the possibility of a non-amino acid pathway in the biosynthesis of marine derived oxazoles <06CC1742>. 

Several other important compounds found in the common aromatic amino acid pathway whose overproduction has been studied are shikimic acid (61) and, to a lesser extent, quinic acid (62) (Scheme 19.41).323 Both 61 and 62 are naturally occurring, highly functionalized carbocyclic rings with asymmetric centers, which can be used as starting material for the synthesis of GS4104 (63), a neuraminidase inhibitor discovered by Gilead Sciences and developed by Roche Pharmaceuticals under the trade name of Tamiflu .324 325 Manipulation of the aromatic amino acid pathway in E. coli has allowed for numerous strains to be assembled that produce both 61 and 62 as well as other intermediates.326 327 As reported by Chandran and co-workers, an E. coli strain has been constructed that synthesized 87 g/L (0.5m) of 61 in 36% (mol/mol) yield with a maximum productivity of 5.2 gL- lr1.328... 

A minor pathway of valine catabolism is concerned with its conversion to leucine. Because leucine is an essential amino acid, its synthesis from valine is clearly not sufficiently significant to meet the organism s daily demand for leucine. In this reaction, isobutyryl-CoA (see Figure 20.20) is condensed with a molecule of acetyl-CoA to give /3-ketoisocaproate, which is then transaminated to give (3-leucine. A mutase is then used to convert /3-leucine to leucine. This mutase... 

In summary, glucose can be synthesized in the liver and kidney from lactate and noncarbohydrate precursors (carbons from certain amino acids). The synthesis is accomplished essentially by a reversal of the glycolytic pathway, because the cells of these tissues possess the enzymes that are necessary to overcome the three irreversible glycolytic steps. 

Investigation of Mutant Strains. Murray (14) suggested that the amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine were precursors of 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl, 3-isobutyl and 3-secbutyl pyrazines, respectively. The effects of mutations in the branched chain amino acid pathways on the synthesis of these compounds was investigated. 

The mutant which was blocked in the synthesis of branched chain amino acids produced very low levels of methoxy pyrazines. Cultures of this mutant did generate a new N peak and produced a strong butter-like aroma. TVo compounds were identified in these cultures as 2,3,5,6-tetramethy1 pyrazine and diacetyl. The synthesis of tetramethylpyrazine by a Corynebacterium glutamicum that was also metabolically blocked in the branched chain amino acid pathway has previously been reported (24). 

Because each of the 20 common amino acids has a unique structure, their metabolic pathways differ. Despite this, some generalities do apply to both the synthesis and degradation of all amino acids. These are summarized in the following sections. Because a number of the amino acid pathways are clinically relevant, we present most of the diverse pathways occurring in humans. However, we will be as succinct as possible. 

Herbicides also inhibit 5- (9/-pymvylshikiniate synthase, a susceptible en2yme in the pathway to the aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, and to the phenylpropanes. Acetolactate synthase, or acetohydroxy acid synthase, a key en2yme in the synthesis of the branched-chain amino acids isoleucine and valine, is also sensitive to some herbicides. Glyphosate (26), the sulfonylureas (136), and the imida2oles (137) all inhibit specific en2ymes in amino acid synthesis pathways. 

Many methods for chemical synthesis of a-amino acids have been estabUshed. Because excellent reviews have been pubUshed (25,38), weU-known reactions are introduced here only by their names and synthetic pathways. 

Fohc acid is a precursor of several important enzyme cofactors required for the synthesis of nucleic acids (qv) and the metaboHsm of certain amino acids. Fohc acid deficiency results in an inabiUty to produce deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and certain proteins (qv). Megaloblastic anemia is a common symptom of folate deficiency owing to rapid red blood cell turnover and the high metaboHc requirement of hematopoietic tissue. One of the clinical signs of acute folate deficiency includes a red and painhil tongue. Vitamin B 2 folate share a common metaboHc pathway, the methionine synthase reaction. Therefore a differential diagnosis is required to measure foHc acid deficiency because both foHc acid and vitamin B 2 deficiency cause... 

In this scheme, F symbolizes an essential metabolite, such as an amino acid or a nucleotide. In such systems, F, the essential end product, inhibits enzyme 1, xAie first step in the pathway. Therefore, when sufficient F is synthesized, it blocks further synthesis of itself. This phenomenon is called feedback inhibition or feedback regulation. 

Pyruvate kinase possesses allosteric sites for numerous effectors. It is activated by AMP and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and inhibited by ATP, acetyl-CoA, and alanine. (Note that alanine is the a-amino acid counterpart of the a-keto acid, pyruvate.) Furthermore, liver pyruvate kinase is regulated by covalent modification. Flormones such as glucagon activate a cAMP-dependent protein kinase, which transfers a phosphoryl group from ATP to the enzyme. The phos-phorylated form of pyruvate kinase is more strongly inhibited by ATP and alanine and has a higher for PEP, so that, in the presence of physiological levels of PEP, the enzyme is inactive. Then PEP is used as a substrate for glucose synthesis in the pathway (to be described in Chapter 23), instead... 

FIGURE 25.1 The citrate-malate-pyruvate shuttle provides cytosolic acetate units and reducing equivalents (electrons) for fatty acid synthesis. The shuttle collects carbon substrates, primarily from glycolysis but also from fatty acid oxidation and amino acid catabolism. Most of the reducing equivalents are glycolytic in origin. Pathways that provide carbon for fatty acid synthesis are shown in blue pathways that supply electrons for fatty acid synthesis are shown in red. 

In bacteria, each step in fatty-acid sjmthesis is catalyzed by separate enzymes. In vertebrates, however, fatty-acid synthesis is catalyzed by a large, multienzyme complex called a synthase that contains two identical subunits of 2505 amino acids each and catalyzes all steps in the pathway. An overview of fatty-acid biosynthesis is shown in Figure 29.5. 

Auxotrophic mutant lack one or more enzymes involved in the synthesis of amino acids (such as tyrosine). This prevents accumulation of the amino acid and thus avoids feedback inhibition of enzymatic steps in the L-phenylalanine pathway. 

The synthesis of virtually all proteins in a cell begins on ribosomes in the cytosol (except a few mitochondrial, and in the case of plants, a few chloroplast proteins that are synthesized on ribosomes inside these organelles). The fate of a protein molecule depends on its amino acid sequence, which can contain sorting signals that direct it to its corresponding organelle. Whereas proteins of mitochondria, peroxisomes, chloroplasts and of the interior of the nucleus are delivered directly from the cytosol, all other organelles receive their set of proteins indirectly via the ER. These proteins enter the so-called secretory pathway (Fig. 1). 

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