Methylmalonate, transamination

Unlike the end products of purine catabolism, those of pyrimidine catabolism are highly water-soluble COj, NH3, P-alanine, and P-aminoisobutyrate (Figure 34-9). Excretion of P-aminoisobutyrate increases in leukemia and severe x-ray radiation exposure due to increased destruction of DNA. However, many persons of Chinese or Japanese ancestry routinely excrete P-aminoisobutyrate. Humans probably transaminate P-aminoisobutyrate to methylmalonate semialdehyde, which then forms succinyl-CoA (Figure 19-2). 

Another interesting example is SHMT. This enzyme catalyzes decarboxylation of a-amino-a-methylmalonate with the aid of pyridoxal-5 -phosphate (PLP). This is an unique enzyme in that it promotes various types of reactions of a-amino acids. It promotes aldol/retro-aldol type reactions and transamination reaction in addition to decarboxylation reaction. Although the types of apparent reactions are different, the common point of these reactions is the formation of a complex with PLP. In addition, the initial step of each reaction is the decomposition of the Schiff base formed between the substrate and pyridoxal coenzyme (Fig. 7-3). 

The transamination of P-aminoisobutyrate to form methylmalonate semialdehyde requires pyridoxal phosphate as a cofactor. This reaction is similar to the conversion of ornithine to glutamate y-semialdehyde. Then NAD+ serves as an electron acceptor for the oxidation of methylmalonate semialdehyde to methylmalonate. The conversion of methylmalonate to methylmalonyl CoA requires coenzyme A. The final reaction, in which methylmalonyl CoA is converted to succinyl CoA, is catalyzed by methylmalonyl CoA mutase, an enzyme that contains a derivative of vitamin B12 as its coenzyme. 

Methylmalonate semialdehyde has been shown to be transaminated to form /3-aminoisobutyrate, as well as being decarboxylated to propionyl aldehyde (89). Previously it had been determined that this compound was formed in the metabolism of dihydroth3mine (98, 99). Kupiecki and Coon (89) prepared a transaminase from pig kidney which catalyzes the transamination of methylmalonate semialdehyde with glutamic acid as the amino group donor to /3-aminoisobutyric acid according to Eq. (6). 

This chapter is concerned with the known disorders in the metabolism of the branched-chain amino acids after the initial transamination step, that lead to abnormal organic aciduria. Disorders of propionate and methylmalonate metabolism are discussed separately in Chapter 11. 

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