Arsenate is a compound similar to phosphate, but containing an arsenic atom instead of the phosphorous. As such, it is treated similarly to a phosphate ion. However, if the arsenate replaces inorganic phosphates in glycolysis, it allows glycolysis to proceed, but does not generate ATP, uncoupling glycolysis. It can also bind to lipoic acid in the Krebs cycle, leading to a greater loss of ATP. Arsenate can enter into the cell via aquaporins 7 and 9, as well as facilitated glucose transporter members 1 and 4 of solute carrier family 2, and does so by diffusion. Once inside the cell, the arsenate can be converted to arsenite via the glutathione S-transferase omega-1 enzyme, or it can be converted to ribose-1-arsenate via the purine nucleoside phosphorylase. Ribose-1-arsenate then can spontaneously form arsenite through a reaction involving hydrogen and dihydrolipoate. After arsenite has been formed by either of these methods, arsenite methyltransferase catalyzes its formation into methylarsonate. From here, it forms methylarsonite via the glutathione S-transferase omega-1 enzyme again. The methylarsonite reacts with S-adenosylmethionine, catalyzed by arsenite methyltransferase, in order to become dimethylarsinate. Finally, the compound once again interacts with the glutathione S-transferase omega-1 enzyme to form dimethylarsinous acid, the final compound in this pathway.

Arsenate Detoxification References