Metabolism aliphatic carbons

Oxidation Aliphatic Carbon Atoms. Oxidation at the terminal carbon atom of an alkyl substituent is co-oxidation oxidation of the carbon atom located second from the end is co-1 oxidation. Unless specifically catalyzed by an enzyme, co-1 oxidation tends to occur more frequently. The anticonvulsant drug ethosuximide is metabolized at both the CO and co-1 position. 

Alkyl or aliphatic carbon centers are subject to mixed-function oxidation. Metabolic oxidation at the terminal methyl group often is referred to as to oxidation, and oxidation of the penultimate carbon atom (i.e., next-to-the-last carbon) is called to - I oxidation." " The initial alcohol metabolites formed from these enzymatic to and to - I oxidations are susceptible to further oxidation to yield aldehyde, ketones, or ca xylic acids. Alternatively, the alcohol metabolites may undergo glucuronide conjugation. 

An advantage of aliphatic polyesters is their degradability in aqueous environments like body fluids through simple hydrotysis of the ester backbone. The degradation products are ultimate metabolized to carbon dioxide and water or expelled via the kidney. 

Some aliphatic carbons are also subject to metabolic oxidation. Most usually these are adjacent to a functional group or near the end of a chain of aliphatic carbons. The position immediately next to a functional group is labeled as the a-position and so these are called a-oxidations (Figure 7.11). 

In some cases, microorganisms can transform a contaminant, but they are not able to use this compound as a source of energy or carbon. This biotransformation is often called co-metabolism. In co-metabolism, the transformation of the compound is an incidental reaction catalyzed by enzymes, which are involved in the normal microbial metabolism.33 A well-known example of co-metabolism is the degradation of (TCE) by methanotrophic bacteria, a group of bacteria that use methane as their source of carbon and energy. When metabolizing methane, methanotrophs produce the enzyme methane monooxygenase, which catalyzes the oxidation of TCE and other chlorinated aliphatics under aerobic conditions.34 In addition to methane, toluene and phenol have been used as primary substrates to stimulate the aerobic co-metabolism of chlorinated solvents. 

The authors have also synthesized134 fatty acids labelled with deuterium and carbon-11 in order to investigate if kinetic isotope effects related to fatty acid metabolism can be observed in vivo by pet133,135-137. In vitro, the large kinetic deuterium isotope effects are observed in the oxidation of deuteriated aliphatic carboxylic acids with alkaline permanganate and manganate135-139. 

Unsaturated aliphatic compounds and heterocyclic compounds may also be metabolized via epoxide intermediates as shown in Figure 4.6 and chapter 5, Figure 14. Note that when the epoxide ring opens, the chlorine atom shifts to the adjacent carbon atom (Fig. 4.6). In the case of the furan ipomeanol and vinyl chloride, the epoxide intermediate is thought to be responsible for the toxicity (see below and chap. 7). Other examples of unsaturated aliphatic compounds, which may be toxic and are metabolized via epoxides, are diethylstilboestrol, allylisopropyl acetamide, which destroys cytochrome P-450, sedormid, and secobarbital. 

The enzyme found in the liver will deaminate secondary and tertiary aliphatic amines as well as primary amines, although the latter are the preferred substrates and are deaminated faster. Secondary and tertiary amines are preferentially dealky la ted to primary amines. For aromatic amines, such as benzylamine, electron-withdrawing substituents on the ring will increase the reaction rate. The product of the reaction is an aldehyde (Fig. 4.30). Amines such as amphetamine are not substrates, seemingly due to the presence of a methyl group on the a-carbon atom (Fig. 4.27). Monoamine oxidase is important in the metabolic activation and subsequent toxicity of allylamine (Fig. 4.31), which is highly toxic to the heart. The presence of the amine oxidase in heart tissue allows metabolism to the toxic metabolite, allyl aldehyde (Fig. 4.31). Another example is the metabolism of MPTP to a toxic metabolite by monoamine oxidase in the central nervous system, which is discussed in more detail in chapter 7. 

Aliphatic Epoxidation. Many aliphatic and alicylcic compounds containing unsaturated carbon atoms are thought to be metabolized to epoxide intermediates (Figure 7.4). In the case of aldrin the product, dieldrin, is an extremely stable epoxide and represents the principle residue found in animals exposed to aldrin. Epoxide formation in the case of aflatoxin is believed to be the final step in formation of the ultimate carcinogenic species and is, therefore, an activation reaction. 

Diamine Oxidases. Diamine oxidases are enzymes that also oxidize amines to aldehydes. The preferred substates are aliphatic diamines in which the chain length is four (putrescine) or five (cadaverine) carbon atoms. Diamines with carbon chains longer than nine will not serve as substrates but can be oxidized by monoamine oxidases. Secondary and tertiary amines are not metabolized. Diamine oxidases are typically soluble pyridoxal phosphate-containing proteins that also contain copper. They have been found in a number of tissues, including liver, intestine, kidney, and placenta. 

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