Glycolic acid is introduced into the cytoplasm through either a glycolate / lactate:H+ symporter or a acetate / glycolate transporter. Once inside, glycolic acid reacts with an oxidized electron-transfer flavoprotein through a glycolate oxidase resulting in a reduced acceptor and glyoxylic acid. Glyoxylic acid can also be obtained from the introduction of glyoxylic acid. It can also be obtained from the metabolism of (S)-allantoin. S-allantoin is introduced into the cytoplasm through a purine and pyrimidine transporter(allantoin specific). Once inside, the compound reacts with water through a allantoinase resulting in hydrogen ion and allantoic acid. Allantoic acid then reacts with water and hydrogen ion through a allantoate amidohydrolase resulting in a carbon dioxide, ammonium and S-ureidoglycine. The latter compound reacts with water through a S-ureidoglycine aminohydrolase resulting in ammonium and S-ureidoglycolic acid which in turn reacts with a Ureidoglycolate lyase resulting in urea and glyoxylic acid. Glyoxylic acid can either be metabolized into L-malic acid by a reaction with acetyl-CoA and Water through a malate synthase G which also releases hydrogen ion and Coenzyme A. L-malic acid is then incorporated into the TCA cycle. Glyoxylic acid can also be metabolized by glyoxylate carboligase, releasing a carbon dioxide and tartronate semialdehyde. The latter compound is then reduced by an NADH driven tartronate semialdehyde reductase 2 resulting in glyceric acid. Glyceric acid is phosphorylated by a glycerate kinase 2 resulting in a 3-phosphoglyceric acid. This compound is then integrated into various other pathways: cysteine biosynthesis, serine biosynthesis and glycolysis and pyruvate dehydrogenase.

Glycolate and Glyoxylate Degradation References