Biochemical pathways, polymer degradation

Biochemical pathways may be described as catabolic, anabolic (biosynthetic), amphibolic or anaplerotic. The principal function of a catabolic sequence is to degrade (usually by an oxidative process) simple organic molecules derived from the breakdown of polymers (e.g. amino acids from proteins) and retain some of the free energy released in a biologically useful form. Anabolic pathways consume energy and synthesize (usually by a reductive process) the simple molecules which are assembled into proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrate polymers and lipids. Amphibolic pathways, such as the tricarboxylic acid cycle, have both catabolic and anabolic properties. They are central metabolic pathways which furnish, from catabolic sequences, the intermediates which form the substrates of anabolic processes. The... 

Traditional suture materials such as catgut must be removed by a health-care specialist after they have served their purpose. Stitches of these hydroxyester polymers, however, are hydrolyzed slowly over a period of approximately two weeks, and by the time the torn tissues have fully healed, the stitches are fiilly degraded and the sutures need not be removed. Glycolic and lactic acids formed during hydrolysis of the stitches are metabolized and excreted by existing biochemical pathways. 

To date, many biochemical and molecular biological studies have been performed on the degradation of polymers, natural or synthetic. Our work, however, is unique in that we aim to clarify not only the enzymes and genes involved in degradation, but also the regulation of genes by macromolecules (non-penetrable into cells). We also aim to clarify how and where macromolecules are degraded to enter the central metabolic pathway. 

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