Flavin adenine dinucleotide biosynthesis

Riboflavin (vitamin Bj) is chemically specified as a 7,8-dimethyl-10-(T-D-ribityl) isoalloxazine (Eignre 19.22). It is a precnrsor of certain essential coenzymes, such as flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin-adenine dinucleotide (FAD) in these forms vitamin Bj is involved in redox reactions, such as hydroxylations, oxidative carboxylations, dioxygenations, and the reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. It is also involved in the biosynthesis of niacin-containing coenzymes from tryptophan. 

Structure and biosynthesis of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)... 

Aldehyde oxidase purified from maize coleoptiles is a multicomponent enzyme that contains a molybdenum cofactor, nonheme iron, and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as prosthetic groups.111 When substrate specificity of the aldehyde oxidase was tested, good activity was detected with IAAld, indole-3-aldehyde, and benzaldehyde among others. The addition of NADP and NADPH did not change the activity. In contrast, in maize endosperm, tryptophan-dependent IAA biosynthesis was dependent on an NADP/NADPH redox system, which may mean that the two tissues of maize are utilizing different pathways or different redox systems for IAA biosynthesis.112... 

In higher mammals, riboflavin is absorbed readily from the intestines and distributed to all tis.sues. It is the precursor in the biosynthesis of the cocnzyme.s flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). The metabolic functions of this vitamin involve these Iwocoenzymes. which participate in numerous vital oxidation-reduction proces.ses. FMN (riboflavin 5 -phosphate) is produced from the vitamin and ATP by flavokinasc catalysis. This step con be inhibited by phcnothiazincs and the tricyclic antidepressants. FAD originates from an FMN and ATP reaction that involves reversible dinucicotide formation catalyzed by flavin nucleotide pyrophosphorylase. The.se coenzymes function in combination with several enzymes as coenzyme-en-zyme complexes, often characterized as, flavoproteins. 

It is still unknown how the pyrimidine intermediate 5 is dephosphorylated (reaction VI). However, it is well established that the dephosphorylation product 6 is condensed with 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate (8) by the catalytic action of lumazine synthase (reaction VIII). The carbohydrate substrate 8 is in turn obtained from ribulose phosphate (7) by a complex reaction sequence that is catalyzed by a single enzyme, 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate synthase (reaction VII). As mentioned above, the lumazine 9 is converted to riboflavin (10) by the catalytic action of riboflavin synthase (reaction IX). Ultimately, riboflavin is converted to the coenzymes, riboflavin 5 -phosphate (flavin mononucleotide (FMN), 11) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD, 12) by the catalytic action of riboflavin kinase (reaction X) and FAD synthase (reaction XI). These reaction steps are required in all organisms, irrespective of their acquisition of riboflavin from nutritional sources or by endogenous biosynthesis. 

Mack, M., van Loon, A.P.G.M., and Hohmann, H.-P. (1998) Regulation of riboflavin biosynthesis in Bacillus suhtilis is affected by the activity of the flavokinase/flavin adenine dinucleotide synthetase encoded by ribC. 

For the reduction of alkenes or alkynes to alkanes in laboratory we use metal catalysts such as Pt or Pd and often high pressures. The heating of alkane precursors with these metal catalysts reoxidizes alkanes to alkenes. In biosynthesis these reactions proceed with special reagents like flavine adenine dinucleotide FAD or its reduced form FADH2. 

FIGURE 8.8 A biological epoxi-dation reaction of the alkene squalene, a step in steroid biosynthesis. The reaction is effected by a flavin hydroperoxide formed by reaction of O2 with the coenzyme reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide, FADH2. 

In addition to their role as components of nucleoproteins, purines and pyrimidines are vital to the proper functioning of the cell. The bases are constituents of various coenzymes, such as coenzyme A (CoA), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), guanosine triphosphate (GTP), cytidine triphosphate (CTP), diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN), triphosphopyridine nucleotide (TPN), and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). A pyrimidine derivative, cytidine diphosphate choline, is involved in phospholipid synthe another pyrimidine compound, uridine diphosphate glucose, is an important substance in carbohydrate metabolism. Cytidine diphosphate ribitol functions in the biosynthesis of a new group of bacterial cell-wall components, the teichoic acids. While mammals excrete nitrogen derived from protein catabolism in the form of urea, birds eliminate their nitrogen by synthesizing it into the purine compound, uric acid. 

Several of the B vitamins function as coenzymes or as precursors of coenzymes some of these have been mentioned previously. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) which, in conjunction with the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, oxidizes ethanol to ethanal (Section 15-6C), also is the oxidant in the citric acid cycle (Section 20-10B). The precursor to NAD is the B vitamin, niacin or nicotinic acid (Section 23-2). Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a precursor of flavin adenine nucleotide FAD, a coenzyme in redox processes rather like NAD (Section 15-6C). Another example of a coenzyme is pyri-doxal (vitamin B6), mentioned in connection with the deamination and decarboxylation of amino acids (Section 25-5C). Yet another is coenzyme A (CoASH), which is essential for metabolism and biosynthesis (Sections 18-8F, 20-10B, and 30-5A). 

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