Chorismate scheme

The Shikimate pathway is responsible for biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids in bacteria, fungi and plants [28], and the absence of this pathway in mammals makes it an interesting target for designing novel antibiotics, fungicides and herbicides. After the production of chorismate the pathway branches and, via specific internal pathways, the chorismate intermediate is converted to the three aromatic amino acids, in addition to a number of other aromatic compounds [29], The enzyme chorismate mutase (CM) is a key enzyme responsible for the Claisen rearrangement of chorismate to prephenate (Scheme 1-1), the first step in the branch that ultimately leads to production of tyrosine and phenylalanine. 

Scheme 1-1. Transition state for the conversion of chorismate into prephenate. Also indicated are the Glu78 and Arg90 residues from chorismate mutase...

Aryl side chain containing L-a-amino acids, such as phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), and tryptophan (Trp), are derived through the shikimate pathway. The enzymatic transformation of phosphoenolpyr-uvate (PEP) and erythro-4-phosphate, through a series of reactions, yields shikimate (Scheme 2). Although shikimate is an important biosynthetic intermediate for a number of secondary metabolites, this chapter only describes the conversion of shikimate to amino acids containing aryl side chains. In the second part of the biosynthesis, shikimate is converted into chorismate by the addition of PEP to the hydroxyl group at the C5 position. Chorismate is then transformed into prephenate by the enzyme chorismate mutase (Scheme 3). 

During the biosynthetic transformation, chorismate is the point of divergence for the biosynthesis of Phe, Tyr, Trp, and other amino acids containing aromatic groups. For example, the biosynthesis of Trp begins with the conversion of chorismate to anthranilate (Scheme 4(a)). A sequence of amination and aromatization reactions produces anthranilate, which is then condensed with phosphoribosylpyrophosphate. The intermediate is carried through a series of reactions to yield Trp (Scheme 4(b)). 

Insertion into an O—H bond is generally favored over cyclopropanation, and consequently protection of hydroxy functionality is normally required. The ease of O—H insertion is nicely illustrated in a recent synthesis of chorismic acid derivatives, where the alkene functionality in (20) was totally unaffected by the carbenoid (Scheme 4).48... 

Chorismate is formally the last metabolite of the shikimate pathway and serves as a branch point towards different biosynthetic byways (Scheme 6.4.2) [2], From an evolutionary standpoint chorismate was evolved not as a metabolite with a distinct cell function, but rather as a highly flexible building block. Because of the special character of 1,3-cyclohexadiene systems, with only a small energy barrier to aromatization, chorismate and its constitutional isomer isochorismate, which... 

Scheme 6.4.2. Chorismate and isochorismate as branch points toward the synthesis of many different primary and secondary metabolites.

Scheme 4.12 Catalytic antibody 1F7 was raised against the transition state analog 28 and possesses modest chorismate mutase activity. It can complement a permissive yeast strain that is auxotrophic for phenylalanine and tyrosine by replacingthe natural enzyme (CM) in the shikimate biosynthetic pathway.

Before we embark on our journey into the world of six-membered transition states, I would like to speak briefly about one reaction, to illustrate how a transition state is drawn throughout the book. The enzyme-catalyzed transformation of chorsimate (2) to prephenate (3) is a classic example of a [3,3]-sigmatropic Claisen rearrangement6 (Scheme IV). As an old bond is being broken and at the same time a new bond is formed in the transition state, the transition state for the Claisen rearrangement of chorismate to prephenate would look more like transistion state A than like B. Still, for the convenience of following the bond connection event clearly, I prefer to draw the transition state like B. 

The acceleration of nucleophilic addition by a fluorine atom on the vinylic carbon can be applied for designing a microbial inhibition system. Scheme 2.23 shows a proposed mechanism for deoxy-amination of chorismate (28) via sequential Sf -type additions by... 

Claisen rearrangement of chorismic acid 1 to prephenic acid 2 (Scheme 1), which is catalyzed by the enzyme chorismate mutase, can be considered as the key step in the biosynthesis of aromatic compounds, that is the so-called shikimic acid pathway. The chair-like transition state geometry 3 was proved by double isotope-labeling experiments [2]. However, in the laboratory this particular reaction can be accelerated not only by enzymes but also by catalytic antibodies [3]. For the generation of such antibodies haptenes such as 4 were used, that is, molecules whose structure is very similar to the transition state of the particular reaction and which are tightly bound by the antibody. 

The three aromatic amino acids that are biosynthesized in the shikimic acid pathway have much in common. The many stereochemical events occurring between the condensation of compounds 288a and 289 derived from carbohydrates to the formation of prephenic acid 296 have been extensively reviewed including a recent review by ourselves (82), and so we have summarized the stereochemistry of the biosynthesis in Scheme 79. Prephenic acid 296 leads to phenylalanine 297 and tyrosine 298. The mem-substituted amino acids 299 are derived from chorismate 295, as is tryptophan 302, as shown. 

The studies of the origin of GHB in A. bisporus demonstrated the involvement of the shikimate-chorismate pathway (Scheme 102). Labeling experiments showed an efficient incorporation of H- and C-labeled shikimic acid 439,440) and C-labeled chorismic acid 441) into the 4-hydroxyaniline moiety of GHB. It was also demonstrated that in the biochemical shikimate-4-hydroxyaniline conversion in the mushroom, amination occurred at the 4 position of one of the carboxylic acid intermediates [initially assumed to be shikimic acid 439)]. Additionally, the p-aminobenzoic acid, which proved to be 441) the precursor of 4-hydroxyaniline, underwent a decarboxylative hydroxylation catalyzed by a FAD-dependent monooxygenase 4-aminobenzoate hydroxylase in the presence of NAD(P)H and O2. This enzyme from A. bisporus was recently purified to homogeneity by Tsuji et al. 442). 

As to why the chorismate rearrangement occurs so rapidly and with a dissociative transition state was addressed by Jurayj who prepared a series chorismate esters successively stripped of substituents. In the absence of both the hydroxyl and the carboalkoxy group on the ring, the rearrangement in aqueous methanol occurred rapidly at - 15°C (Scheme 7.95). 

Extensive studies support the hypothesis that these phenazine precursors are derived from the shikimic acid pathway, as outlined in Scheme 1, with chorismic acid (51) as the most probable branch point intermediate. Shikimic acid (50) is converted to chorismic acid (51) in known transformations that are part of the common aromatic amino acid biosynthetic pathway. The transformation from chorismic acid (51) to the phenazine precursors has been discussed and investigated through intensive biochemical studies so far, no intermediates have been identified and little is known about the genetic origin and details of the phenazine biosynthesis. ... 

Chorismic acid is the key branch point intermediate in the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids in microorganisms and plants (Scheme 1.1a) [1]. In the branch that leads to the production of tyrosine and phenylalanine, chorismate mutase (CM, chorismate-pyruvate mutase, EC 5.4.99.5) is a key enzyme that catalyzes the isomerization of chorismate to prephenate (Scheme 1.1b) with a rate enhancement of about lO -lO -fold. This reaction is one of few pericyclic processes in biology and provides a rare opportunity for understanding how Nature promotes such unusual transformations. The biological importance of the conversion from chorismate to prephenate and the synthetic value of the Claisen rearrangement have led to extensive experimental investigations [2-43]. 

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