Amino acids metabolic functions

Wu, G., 2009. Amino acids metabolism, functions, and nutrition. Amino Acids 37, 1-17. 

Summarizing, muscle protein provides a number of compounds which can generate fuel for other tissues, a fact which explains the severe wasting seen in people who are literally starving, as muscle protein is sacrificed to maintain function of the central nervous system in particular. We have also seen how glutamate plays a central role in amino acid metabolism in muscle (Figure 7.20). 

Other Toxicity Concerns. Additional toxicity concerns include interference with normal metabolism and function of mucosal cells, for example, water absorption by these cells [80]. The unconjugated bile acids are known to block amino acid metabolism [81] and glucose transport [82]. There is a possibility of biotransformation of these enhancers to toxic or carcinogenic substances by hepatic monooxygenases [83]. Absorption of permeation enhancers into the systemic circulation can also cause toxicity, for example, azone [84] and hexamethylene lauramide [85] which are absorbed... 

An intriguing puzzle in NOS catalysis is the precise role of H4B. The traditional function of H4B is in aromatic amino acid metabolism where H4B directly participates in the hydroxylation reaction via a nonheme iron. However, the NOS pterin site has no similarity to the pterin site in the hydroxylases, nor does NOS have a nonheme iron to assist pterin in substrate hydroxylation as in the amino acid hydroxylases 111). NOS more closely resembles pterin-containing enz5unes that have a redox function 81). In particular, N3 and the 03 amino group form H-bonds with either GIu or Asp residues in a series of pterin enzymes 112-116) similar to NOS, except that NOS utilizes the heme propionate (Fig. 6). 

The first examples of mechanism must be divided into two principal classes the chemistry of enzymes that require coenzymes, and that of enzymes without cofactors. The first class includes the enzymes of amino-acid metabolism that use pyridoxal phosphate, the oxidation-reduction enzymes that require nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides for activity, and enzymes that require thiamin or biotin. The second class includes the serine esterases and peptidases, some enzymes of sugar metabolism, enzymes that function by way of enamines as intermediates, and ribonuclease. An understanding of the mechanisms for all of these was well underway, although not completed, before 1963. 

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxal) has the active form, pyridoxal phosphate. It functions as a cofactor for enzymes, particularly in amino acid metabolism. Deficiency of this vitamin is rare, but causes glossitis and neuropathy. The deficiency can be induced by isoniazid, which causes sensory neuropathy at high doses. 

Vitamins, cofactors, and metals have the potential to broaden the scope of antibody catalysis considerably. In addition to hydrolytic and redox reactions, they facilitate many complex functional group interconversions in natural enzymes.131 Pyridoxal, for example, plays a central role in amino acid metabolism. Among the reactions it makes possible are transaminations, decarboxylations, racemizations, and (3,y-eliminations. It is also essential for ethylene biosynthesis. Not surprisingly, then, several groups have sought to incorporate pyridoxal derivatives into antibody combining sites. 

One of the major products of amino acid metabolism is ammonia (NLI3), a molecule known to be highly toxic to higher organisms. In the liver, ammonia and carbon dioxide are used to produce a water-soluble form of nitrogen, urea, via the urea cycle. The liver passes this urea to the blood, which carries it to the kidneys to be filtered out and excreted in the urine. Since one function of the kidney is to collect and excrete urea, increases in the concentration of this compound in the blood are an indicator of poor kidney function. Since urea is formed in the liver, low blood urea nitrogen is often the consequence of impaired liver function due to disease or as the result of infection (hepatitis). 

Vitamin Bf, (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridox-amine) is a coenzyme that prefers the world of amino acid metabolism, it is the prosthetic group for all transaminases. Amino acid transamination is a particularly important function. For instance ... 

The protein and amino-acid metabolism of the liver is characterized by three essential functions (1.) production and breakdown of proteins, (2.) production and breakdown of amino acids as well as regulation of their concentrations in the blood, and (i.) detoxification of ammonium via the synthesis of urea (= excretory form) and glutamine (= non-toxic transport or storage form) with simultaneous regulation of the acid-base balance. The breakdown of branched-chain amino acids occurs only in the musculature by way of deamination, (s. pp 38, 43)... 

These changes are induced by a complex intercellular signalling system, whose main constituents are inflammation-associated cytokines. Among other functions. Interleukin-1, Interieukin-6 and Tumour Necrosis Factor-a initiate the alteration of protein and amino acid metabolism designed to support the increased demand of amino acids to sustain the immune response. In particular, lnterleukin-6, stimulates the production of hepatic APP. The relationship with the sulphurated amino acids (SAA) will be discussed in the following chapters. 

The metabolism of folic acid involves reduction of the pterin ting to different forms of tetrahydrofolylglutamate. The reduction is catalyzed by dihydtofolate reductase and NADPH functions as a hydrogen donor. The metabolic roles of the folate coenzymes are to serve as acceptors or donors of one-carbon units in a variety of reactions. These one-carbon units exist in different oxidation states and include methanol, formaldehyde, and formate. The resulting tetrahydrofolylglutamate is an enzyme cofactor in amino acid metabolism and in the biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidines (10,96). The one-carbon unit is attached at either the N-5 or N-10 position. The activated one-carbon unit of 5,10-methylene-H folate (5) is a substrate of T-synthase, an important enzyme of growing cells. 5-10-Methylene-H folate (5) is reduced to 5-methyl-H,j folate (4) and is used in methionine biosynthesis. Alternatively, it can be oxidized to 10-formyl-H folate (7) for use in the purine biosynthetic pathway. 

One of the main functions of peroxisomes is to detoxify the cell by splitting hydrogen peroxide. They contain the enzyme catalase. Catalase converts H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide, a toxic by-product of cellular metabolism) to H2O and O2, with 4H202 4H2O-I-2O2. Peroxisomes also degrade fatty acids and toxic compounds and catalyze the first two steps required in the synthesis of ether-linked phospholipids (which are later used to build membranes) and sterols. In addition, it plays a role in isoprenoid biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism. 

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