Browsing Pathways

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.

Cardiolipin (CL) is an important component of the inner mitochondrial membrane where it constitutes about 20% of the total lipid composition. It is essential for the optimal function of numerous enzymes that are involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism (Wikipedia). Cardiolipin biosynthesis occurs mainly in the mitochondria, but there also exists an alternative synthesis route for CDP-diacylglycerol that takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum. This second route may supplement this pathway. All membrane-localized enzymes are coloured dark green in the image. First, dihydroxyacetone phosphate (or glycerone phosphate) from glycolysis is used by the cytosolic enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase [NAD(+)] to synthesize sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. Second, the mitochondrial outer membrane enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase esterifies an acyl-group to the sn-1 position of sn-glycerol 3-phosphate to form 1-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (lysophosphatidic acid or LPA). Third, the enzyme 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase converts LPA into phosphatidic acid (PA or 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate) by esterifying an acyl-group to the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone. PA is then transferred to the inner mitochondrial membrane to continue cardiolipin synthesis. Fourth, magnesium-dependent phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase catalyzes the conversion of PA into CDP-diacylglycerol. Fifth, CDP-diacylglycerol--glycerol-3-phosphate 3-phosphatidyltransferase synthesizes phosphatidylglycerophosphate (PGP). Sixth, phosphatidylglycerophosphatase and protein-tyrosine phosphatase dephosphorylates PGP to form phosphatidylglycerol (PG). Last, cardiolipin synthase catalyzes the synthesis of cardiolipin by transferring a phosphatidyl group from a second CDP-diacylglycerol to PG. It requires a divalent metal cation cofactor.

Leucine biosynthesis involves a five-step conversion process starting with the valine precursor 2-keto-isovalerate interacting with acetyl-CoA and water through a 2-isopropylmalate synthase resulting in Coenzyme A, hydrogen Ion and 2-isopropylmalic acid. The latter compound reacts with isopropylmalate isomerase which dehydrates the compound resulting in a Isopropylmaleate. This compound reacts with water through a isopropylmalate isomerase resulting in 3-isopropylmalate. This compound interacts with a NAD-driven D-malate / 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase results in 2-isopropyl-3-oxosuccinate. This compound interacts spontaneously with hydrogen resulting in the release of carbon dioxide and ketoleucine. Ketoleucine interacts in a reversible reaction with L-glutamic acid through a branched-chain amino-acid aminotransferase resulting in Oxoglutaric acid and L-leucine. L-leucine can then be exported outside the cytoplasm through a transporter: L-amino acid efflux transporter. In the final step, ketoleucine can be catalyzed to form L-leucine by branched-chain amino-acid aminotransferase (IlvE) and tyrosine aminotransferase (TryB). L-Glutamic acid can also be transformed into oxoglutaric acid by these two enzymes. Tyrosine aminotransferase can be suppressed by lecuine, and inhibited by 2-keto-isovarlerate and its end product, tyrosine. 2-ketoisocaproate can not be introduced if 2-keto-isovarlerate inhibit TyrB and IlvE is absent.

Chorismate is an intermediate in tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan synthesis and a precursor for folic acid, ubiquinone, enterochelin and menaquinone. Three enzymes catalyze the first step in chorismate biosynthesis. Synthesis may be reduced by feedback inhibition of tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan to the enzymes. The biosynthesis of chorismate starts with D-Erythrose-4-phosphate getting transformed into 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate through a phospho-2-dehydro-3-deoxyheptonate aldolase. This is followed by a 3-dehydroquinate synthase converting the 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate into a 3-dehydroquinate which in turn is conveted to 3-dehydroshikimate through a 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase. At this point 3-dehydroshikimate can be turned into Shikimic acid through 2 different reactions involving Quinate/shikimate dehydrogenase and shikimate dehydrogenase 2. Shikimic acid is phosphorylated by Shikimate kinase 2 into shikimate 3-phosphate. Shikimate 3- phophate and a phosphoenolpyruvic acid are then joined through a 3-phosphoshikimate 1-carboxyvinyltransferase to produce a 5-enoylpyruvyl-shikimate 3-phosphate while releasing a phosphate. This in turn produces our final product Chorismate through a chorismate synthase.

The pathway of valine biosynthesis starts with pyruvic acid interacting with a hydrogen ion through a acetolactate synthase / acetohydroxybutanoate synthase or a acetohydroxybutanoate synthase / acetolactate synthase resulting in the release of carbon dioxide and (S)-2-acetolactate. The latter compound then interacts with a hydrogen ion through an NADPH driven acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase resulting in the release of a NADP and an (R) 2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylvalerate. The latter compound is then dehydrated by a dihydroxy acid dehydratase resulting in the release of water and isovaleric acid. Isovaleric acid interacts with an L-glutamic acid through a Valine Transaminase resulting in a oxoglutaric acid and an L-valine. L-valine is then transported into the periplasmic space through a L-valine efflux transporter.

D-allose can be used as source of carbon for E.coli. D-allose is imported into E.coli by D-allose ABC transporter without phosphorylation. Allose-6-phosphate isomerase and allulose-6-phosphate 3-epimerase catalyze the remaining reactions resulting in D-allulose 6 phosphate and Beta-D-fructofuranose 6-phosphate respectively. Once Beta D fructofuranose 6-phosphate is synthesized, it can be used in the glycolysis and pyruvatedehydrogenase pathway.

Isoleucine biosynthesis begins with L-threonine from the threonine biosynthesis pathway. L-threonine interacts with threonine dehydratase biosynthetic releasing water, a hydrogen ion and (2Z)-2-aminobut-2-enoate. The latter is isomerized into a 2-iminobutanoate which interacts with water and a hydrogen ion spontaneously, resulting in the release of ammonium and 2-ketobutyric acid. 2-ketobutyric acid reacts with pyruvic acid and hydrogen ions through an acetohydroxybutanoate synthase / acetolactate synthase 2 resulting in carbon dioxide and (S)-2-Aceto-2-hydroxybutanoic acid. (S)-2-Aceto-2-hydroxybutanoic acid is reduced by an NADPH driven acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase releasing NADP and acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase. The latter compound is dehydrated by a dihydroxy acid dehydratase resulting in 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid. This compound reacts in a reversible reaction with L-glutamic acid through a Branched-chain-amino-acid aminotransferase resulting in oxoglutaric acid and L-isoleucine. L-isoleucine can also be transported into the cytoplasm through two different methods: a branched chain amino acid ABC transporter or a branched chain amino acid transporter BrnQy.

This pathway shows the biosynthesis of methionine, which is an energy-costly process. Lysine biosynthesis produces L-Aspartate-semialdehyde, which later on is catalyzed to L-homoserine by bifunctional aspartokinase (also named homoserine dehydrogenase) 1 and 2. Homoserine is then activated by O-succinylation to form O-succinyl-L-homoserine via homoserine O-succinyltransferase (metA). Combining with L-cysteine, O-succinyl-L-homoserine form L-cystathionine and succinic acid by cystathionine gamma-synthase (metB). Cleavage of L-cystathionine by cystathionine beta-lyase (metC) or Protein MalY(as ) generates two small molecules: homocysteine and 2-aminoprop-2-enoate. Methionine synthase(MetH) or 5-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate--homocysteine methyltransferase(MetE) will catalyzehomocysteine to form the final product: methionine. In E.coli, MetH can only function with existence of cobalamin (Vitamin B12), which can be available in the guy; without cobalamin, MetE will not be repressed so that it will catalyze the methionine. Methionine can be transported out of cell (into periplasmic space) by leucine efflux transporter.

Chorismate is an intermediate in tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan synthesis and a precursor for folic acid, ubiquinone, enterochelin and menaquinone. Three enzymes catalyze the first step in chorismate biosynthesis. Synthesis may be reduced by feedback inhibition of tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan to the enzymes. The biosynthesis of chorismate starts with D-Erythrose-4-phosphate getting transformed into 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate through a phospho-2-dehydro-3-deoxyheptonate aldolase. This is followed by a 3-dehydroquinate synthase converting the 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate into a 3-dehydroquinate which in turn is conveted to 3-dehydroshikimate through a 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase. At this point 3-dehydroshikimate can be turned into Shikimic acid through 2 different reactions involving Quinate/shikimate dehydrogenase and shikimate dehydrogenase 2. Shikimic acid is phosphorylated by Shikimate kinase 2 into shikimate 3-phosphate. Shikimate 3- phophate and a phosphoenolpyruvic acid are then joined through a 3-phosphoshikimate 1-carboxyvinyltransferase to produce a 5-enoylpyruvyl-shikimate 3-phosphate while releasing a phosphate. This in turn produces our final product Chorismate through a chorismate synthase.

This pathway shows the biosynthesis of methionine, which is an energy-costly process. Lysine biosynthesis produces L-Aspartate-semialdehyde, which later on is catalyzed to L-homoserine by bifunctional aspartokinase (also named homoserine dehydrogenase) 1 and 2. Homoserine is then activated by O-succinylation to form O-succinyl-L-homoserine via homoserine O-succinyltransferase (metA). Combining with L-cysteine, O-succinyl-L-homoserine form L-cystathionine and succinic acid by cystathionine gamma-synthase (metB). Cleavage of L-cystathionine by cystathionine beta-lyase (metC) or Protein MalY(as ) generates two small molecules: homocysteine and 2-aminoprop-2-enoate. Methionine synthase(MetH) or 5-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate--homocysteine methyltransferase(MetE) will catalyzehomocysteine to form the final product: methionine. In E.coli, MetH can only function with existence of cobalamin (Vitamin B12), which can be available in the guy; without cobalamin, MetE will not be repressed so that it will catalyze the methionine. Methionine can be transported out of cell (into periplasmic space) by leucine efflux transporter.