Porphobilinogen condensation

Heme contains four of these rings. Four porphobilinogens condense head to tail to form the first tetrapyrrole species, which is then circularized to form the porphyrin skeleton. Further modifications, followed by Fe(II) addition, lead to heme. 

The precursor for vitamin B12 synthesis is uroporphyrinogen 111, the common precursor for aU porphyrins, including heme and chlorophyll. Uroporphyrinogen III is synthesized by condensation between succinyl coenzyme A (CoA) and glycine to yield 5-aminolevulinic acid. Two molecules of (5-amino-levulinic acid then condense to form the pyrrole phorphobilinogen, and four molecules of porphobilinogen condense to yield uroporphobilinogen III. 

Chlorophyll, heme, vitamin B,2, and a host of other substances are bio-synthesized from porphobilinogen (PEG), which is itself formed from condensation of two molecules of 5-aminolevulinate. The two 5-aminolevulinates are bound to lysine (Lys) amino acids in the enzyme, one in the enamine form and one in the imine form, and their condensation is thought to occur by the following steps. Using curved arrows, show the mechanism of each step. 

Figure 7.1 The overall pathway of haem biosynthesis. 5-AminolaevuIinate (ALA) is synthesized in the mitochondrion, and is transferred to the cytosol where it is converted to porphobilinogen, four molecules of which condense to form a porphyrin ring. The next three steps involve oxidation of the pyrrole ring substituents to give protoporphyrinogen fX, whose formation is accompanied by its transport back into the mitochondrion. After oxidation to protoporphyrin IX, ferrochelatase inserts Fe2+ to yield haem. A, P, M and V represent, respectively acetyl, propionyl, methyl and vinyl (—CH2=CH2) groups. From Voet and Voet, 1995. Reproduced by permission of John Wiley Sons, Inc.

The 5-aminolaevulinate dehydratase (or porphobilinogen synthase), which catalyses the condensation of two molecules of 5-aminolaevulinate to form the pyrrole precursor of the porphyrins (haem, chlorophyll, cobalamines), has the motif [(Cys)3 Zn2+-OH2]. As pointed out earlier (see Chapter 1), this enzyme is the target for saturnism, the Pb toxicity frequently observed among inner city children. 

Based on the first FAB-MS data, we assumed IV and V-2 to be two isomers with a pyrrolemethanol and a pyrroleninone nucleus, respectively (fig. 8), originating from the condensation of A-DHLNL with an oxidized hydroxylysine residue (fig. 9). The proposed formation of IV is a Knorr-Paal condensation, which has been proposed for the formation of an other pyrrolic cross-link analogous to the heme-precursor porphobilinogen (Scott et al., 1981). In addition, both IV and V-2 had migration speeds comparable to HP (III) in capillary electrophoresis. The presence... 

Aminolevulinate now leaves the mitochondria. In the cytoplasm, two molecules condense to form porphobilinogen, a compound that already contains the pyrrole ring. Porphobilinogen synthase is inhibited by lead ions. This is why acute lead poisoning is associated with increased concentrations of ALA in the blood and urine. 

Under acidic conditions, porphobilinogen undergoes self-condensation to give a mixture of four isomeric cyclic tetrapyrroles, uroporphyrinogens I (68), II (69), III (70) and IV (71) in the ratio 1 1 4 2. Uroporphyrinogens II and IV are not known to occur naturally and uroporphyrinogen I has only been detected in vivo under exceptional conditions. Uroporphyrinogen III is the only isomer which acts as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of porphyrins and corrinoids. 

The pyrrole monomer porphobilinogen arises from the condensation of two molecules of S-aminolevulinate with the ions of two water molecules. This reaction is catalyzed by S-aminolevulinate dehydrase. Condensation of four porphobilinogen molecules yields the branchpoint compound in tetrapyrrole synthesis, uroporphyrinogen III. This is a complex reaction requiring two enzymes Uroporphyrinogen I synthase, which catalyzes a head-to-tail condensation... 

Mechanism of polymerization in a linear tetrapyrrole. Four molecules of porphobilinogen undergo a head-to-tail condensation catalyzed by uroporphyrinogen 1 synthase to yield a tetrapyrrole. Asterisks indicate nitrogen and carbon atoms derived from glycine the others are derived from succinyl-CoA. 

In plants, algae and many bacteria there is an alternative route for ALA synthesis that involves the conversion of the intact five-carbon skeleton of glutamate in a series of three steps to yield ALA. In all organisms, two molecules of ALA then condense to form porphobilinogen in a reaction catalyzed by ALA dehydratase (also called porphobilinogen synthase) (Fig. 2a). Inhibition of this enzyme by lead is one of the major manifestations of acute lead poisoning. 

Porphobilinogen and Studies of Its Biosynthesis, ft. Neier. Synthesis and Cycloaddition Reactions of Iso-Condensed Heteroaromatic Pyrroles, C. K. Sha. Azacyclopentadienyl Metal Compounds Historical Background and Recent Advances, C. Janiak and N. Kuhn. Recent Developments in the Synthesis of Marine Pyridoacridine Alkaloids, A. M. Echavar-ren. Alkaloid Synthesis Using 1-Acylpyridinium Salts as Intermediates, D. L. Comins and S. P. Joseph. Index. S S... 

Inborn metabolic diseases that interfere with heme biosynthesis are called porphyrias. Porphyrias have a variety of symptoms. A deficiency in the enzyme responsible for the condensation of porphobilinogen to the 4-membered ring system leads to a condition called acute intermittent porphyria, which is characterized by occasional episodes of abdominal pain and psychiatric symptoms. Defects in the later enzymes of the pathway lead to an excess accumulation of the uroporphobilinogens in the tissues, where they cause a variety of symptoms, including hairy skin, skeletal abnormalities, light sensitivity, and red urine. Individuals with this disease are still anemic—a condition that can be alleviated somewhat by the heme acquired from drinking blood. This combination of traits sounds like the werewolf and vampire legends of Europe, which may have their base in this rare biochemical disease. 

Subsequent reactions occur in the cytoplasm and they are irreversible. Two molecules of 8-aminolevulinate are condensed by the enzyme porphobilinogen synthase to form the trisubstituted pyrrole porphobilinogen. Two enzymes, uroporphyrinogen synthase and uroporphyrinogen cosynthase, condense four molecules of porphobilinogen to the porphyrin uroporphyrinogen III. 

A second major lead-induced toxicity involves interruption of heme synthesis. Lead interacts at several steps in the heme biosynthetic pathway (Figure 21.13). As mentioned above, Pb inhibits the enzyme 8-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D), which catalyzes the second step of heme synthesis involving the condensation of two molecules of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) to form porphobilinogen. The result of this inhibition is the accumulation of aminolevulinic acid in the serum and increased excretion of ALA in the urine. A second major disruption of the heme biosynthetic pathway is Pb inhibition of ferrochelatase. This enzyme is responsible for the incorporation of the ferrous ion (Fe2+) into protoporphrin IX to produce heme (Figure 21.2). Accumulated protoporphrin is incorporated into red blood cells and chelates zinc as the cells circulate. This zinc-protoporphrin complex is fluorescent and used to diagnose Pb poisoning. 

Frydman et al. condensed ethyl 5-methoxy-6-azagramine-2-carboxylate (135) with diethyl sodiomalonate to give the triester (136) (80%), which was hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid to the diacid (137) (95%). Treating this with hydrobromic acid gave the 5-hydroxy-6-azaindole, which exists in the lactam form (138). Reduction to the tetrahydrolactam (93, R = C02H), followed by decarboxylation and hydrolysis, provided a novel route to porphobilinogen (92,R = H). 

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