The biosynthesis of folic acid begins as a product of purine nucleotides de novo biosynthesis pathway. Purine nucleotides are involved in a reaction with water through a GTP cyclohydrolase 1 protein complex, resulting in a hydrogen ion, formic acid and 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3-triphosphate. The latter compound is dephosphorylated through a dihydroneopterin triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase resulting in the release of a pyrophosphate, hydrogen ion and 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3-phosphate. The latter product reacts with water spontaneously resulting in the release of a phosphate and a 7,8 -dihydroneopterin. 7,8 -dihydroneopterin reacts with a dihydroneopterin aldolase, releasing a glycoaldehyde and 6-hydroxymethyl-7,9-dihydropterin. Continuing, 6-hydroxymethyl-7,9-dihydropterin is phosphorylated with a ATP-driven 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase resulting in a (2-amino-4-hydroxy-7,8-dihydropteridin-6-yl)methyl diphosphate. Chorismate is metabolized by reacting with L-glutamine through a 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate synthase resulting in L-glutamic acid and 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate. The latter product is then catalyzed via an aminodeoxychorismate lyase resulting in pyruvic acid, hydrogen ion and p-aminobenzoic acid. (2-amino-4-hydroxy-7,8-dihydropteridin-6-yl)methyl diphosphate and p-aminobenzoic acid react with the help of a dihydropteroate synthase resulting in pyrophosphate and 7,8-dihydropteroic acid. This compound then reacts with L-glutamic acid through an ATP driven bifunctional folylpolyglutamate synthease / dihydrofolate synthease resulting in a 7,8-dihydrofolate monoglutamate. 7,8-dihydrofolate monoglutamate is then reduced via a NADPH mediated dihydrofolate reductase resulting in a tetrahydrofate which will continue and become a metabolite of the folate pathway

Folate Biosynthesis References