Browsing Pathways

Uracil is a pyrimidine nucleobase found in RNA, and can be used as a source of nitrogen for E. coli. There are at least three pathways through which uracil is degraded. This one begins with uracil, which originates from purine degradation. The putative monooxygenase enzyme rutA catalyzes the breakdown of uracil into peroxyaminoacrylate, using FMNH2 as a cofactor. Peroxyaminoacrylate is then broken down into both carbamic acid and 3-aminoacrylate following the addition of a water molecule by the putative isochorismatase family protein rutB. Carbamic acid can then spontaneously, with the addition of a hydrogen ion, split into an ammonium ion and a molecule of carbon dioxide. 3-aminoacrylate, on the other hand, is catalyzed by the UPF0076 protein rutC to form 2-aminoacrylic acid. This compound enters into a reaction catalyzed by protein rutD, which adds a water molecule and hydrogen ion and forms malonic semialdehyde with ammonium being a byproduct. Finally, the putative NADH dehydrogenase/NAD(P)H nitroreductase rutE complex converts malonic semialdehyde into hydroxypropionic acid, which is then used to form other necessary chemicals. The ammonium ions produced will be the important source of nitrogen for the bacteria.

Diacetylchitobiose (also known as N,N'-diacetylchitobiose and chitobiose) is a sole source of carbon for E.coli. PTS system mannitol-specific EIICBA component facilitates the imports of diacetylchitobiose as well as the phosphorylation to diacetylchitobiose 6'-phosphate. Later on, diacetylchitobiose 6'-phosphate is hydrolyzed to N-monoacetylchitobiose 6'-phosphate, which also produce acetic acid. N-monoacetylchitobiose 6'-phosphate undergoes further hydrolyzation to form N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine 6-Phosphate and glucosamine by monoacetylchitobiose-6-phosphate hydrolase.

The biosynthesis of thiamin begins with a PRPP being degraded by reacting with a water molecule and an L-glutamine through a amidophosphoribosyl transferase resulting in the release of an L-glutamate, a diphosphate and a 5-phospho-beta-d-ribosylamine(PRA). The latter compound, PRA, is further degrade through a phosphoribosylamine glycine ligase by reacting with a glycine and an ATP. This reaction results in the release of a hydrogen ion, an ADP, a phosphate and a N1-(5-phospho-beta-d-ribosyl)glycinamide(GAR). GAR can be metabolized by two different phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase. GAR reacts with a N10-formyl tetrahydrofolate, in this case 10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate mono-L-glutamate, through a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase 1 resulting in the release of a hydroge ion, a tetrahydrofolate and a N2-formyl-N1-(5-phospho-Beta-D-ribosyl)glycinamide(FGAR). On the other hand, GAR can react with a formate and an ATP molecule through a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase 2 resulting in a release of a ADP, a phosphate, a hydrogen ion and a FGAR. The FGAR compound gets degraded by interacting with a water molecule, an L-glutamine and an ATP molecule thorugh a phosphoribosylformylglycinamide synthase resulting in the release of a L-glutamate, a phosphate, an ADP molecule, a hydrogen ion and a 2-(formamido)-N1-(5-phopho-Beta-D-ribosyl)acetamidine (FGAM). This compound is further degraded by reacting with an ATP molecule through a phosphoribosylformylglycinamide cyclo-ligase resulting in the release of a phosphate, an ADP, a hydrogen ion and a 5-amino-1-(5-phospho-beta-d-ribosyl)imidazole (AIR). The AIR molecule is degraded by reacting with a S-adenosyl-L-methionine through a HMP-P synthase resulting in the release of 3 hydrogen ions, a carbon monoxide, a formate molecule, L-methionine, 5'-deoxyadenosine and 4- amino-2-methyl-5-phophomethylpyrimidine (HMP-P). This resulting compound is phosphorylated thorugh a ATP driven phosphohydroxymethylpyrimidine kinase resulting in the release of an ADP and 4-amino-2-methyl-5-diphosphomethylpyrimidine (HMP-PP). The resulting compound interacts with a thiazole tautomer and 2 hydrogen ion through a Thiamine phosphate synthase resulting in the release of a pyrophosphate, a carbon dioxide molecule and Thiamin phosphate. This compound is phosphorylated through an ATP driven thiamin monophosphate kinase resulting in a release of an ADP and a thiamin diphosphate.

This pathway demonstrate the biosynthesis of thiazole moiety in E.coli K-12 strain and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. L-Tyrosine is generated from tyrosine biosynthesis. With S-Adenosylmethionine and NADPH, L-Tyrosine can be catalyzed into four different small molecules: 4-methylcatechol, dehydroglycine, 5'-deoxyadenosine and L-methionine as well as NADP by dehydroglycine synthase (encoded by thiH gene). Meanwhile, 1-deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate synthase (encoded by dxs gene) catalyzes pyruvic acid and D-Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate into 1-Deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate. The final reaction of the pathway is facilitated by thiazole synthase (encoded by thiG and thiH), which require a thiocarboxy-[ThiS-Protein], 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate and 2-iminoacetate to form 2-((2R,5Z)-2-Carboxy-4-methylthiazol-5(2H)-ylidene)ethyl phosphate for Thiamin Diphosphate Biosynthesis, as well as a ThiS sulfur-carrier protein and water.

Uracil is a pyrimidine nucleobase found in RNA, and can be used as a source of nitrogen for E. coli. There are at least three pathways through which uracil is degraded. This one begins with uracil, which originates from purine degradation. The putative monooxygenase enzyme rutA catalyzes the breakdown of uracil into peroxyaminoacrylate, using FMNH2 as a cofactor. Peroxyaminoacrylate is then broken down into both carbamic acid and 3-aminoacrylate following the addition of a water molecule by the putative isochorismatase family protein rutB. Carbamic acid can then spontaneously, with the addition of a hydrogen ion, split into an ammonium ion and a molecule of carbon dioxide. 3-aminoacrylate, on the other hand, is catalyzed by the UPF0076 protein rutC to form 2-aminoacrylic acid. This compound enters into a reaction catalyzed by protein rutD, which adds a water molecule and hydrogen ion and forms malonic semialdehyde with ammonium being a byproduct. Finally, the putative NADH dehydrogenase/NAD(P)H nitroreductase rutE complex converts malonic semialdehyde into hydroxypropionic acid, which is then used to form other necessary chemicals. The ammonium ions produced will be the important source of nitrogen for the bacteria.

This pathway demonstrates the biosynthesis of tetrahydromonapterin in E.coli. However, it is still unclear about biological role of tetrahydromonapterin. GTP cyclohydrolase 1 generates formic acid and 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate with cofactor GTP and water. 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate is converted to dihydromonapterin-triphosphate by d-erythro-7,8-dihydroneopterin triphosphate epimerase (folX). Later, dihydromonapterin-triphosphate is hydroxylated to dihydromethysticin, and eventually form tetrahydromonapterin via dihydromonapterin reductase (folM) with cofactor NADPH.

The biosynthesis of thiamin begins with a PRPP being degraded by reacting with a water molecule and an L-glutamine through a amidophosphoribosyl transferase resulting in the release of an L-glutamate, a diphosphate and a 5-phospho-beta-d-ribosylamine(PRA). The latter compound, PRA, is further degrade through a phosphoribosylamine glycine ligase by reacting with a glycine and an ATP. This reaction results in the release of a hydrogen ion, an ADP, a phosphate and a N1-(5-phospho-beta-d-ribosyl)glycinamide(GAR). GAR can be metabolized by two different phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase. GAR reacts with a N10-formyl tetrahydrofolate, in this case 10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate mono-L-glutamate, through a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase 1 resulting in the release of a hydroge ion, a tetrahydrofolate and a N2-formyl-N1-(5-phospho-Beta-D-ribosyl)glycinamide(FGAR). On the other hand, GAR can react with a formate and an ATP molecule through a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase 2 resulting in a release of a ADP, a phosphate, a hydrogen ion and a FGAR. The FGAR compound gets degraded by interacting with a water molecule, an L-glutamine and an ATP molecule thorugh a phosphoribosylformylglycinamide synthase resulting in the release of a L-glutamate, a phosphate, an ADP molecule, a hydrogen ion and a 2-(formamido)-N1-(5-phopho-Beta-D-ribosyl)acetamidine (FGAM). This compound is further degraded by reacting with an ATP molecule through a phosphoribosylformylglycinamide cyclo-ligase resulting in the release of a phosphate, an ADP, a hydrogen ion and a 5-amino-1-(5-phospho-beta-d-ribosyl)imidazole (AIR). The AIR molecule is degraded by reacting with a S-adenosyl-L-methionine through a HMP-P synthase resulting in the release of 3 hydrogen ions, a carbon monoxide, a formate molecule, L-methionine, 5'-deoxyadenosine and 4- amino-2-methyl-5-phophomethylpyrimidine (HMP-P). This resulting compound is phosphorylated thorugh a ATP driven phosphohydroxymethylpyrimidine kinase resulting in the release of an ADP and 4-amino-2-methyl-5-diphosphomethylpyrimidine (HMP-PP). The resulting compound interacts with a thiazole tautomer and 2 hydrogen ion through a Thiamine phosphate synthase resulting in the release of a pyrophosphate, a carbon dioxide molecule and Thiamin phosphate. This compound is phosphorylated through an ATP driven thiamin monophosphate kinase resulting in a release of an ADP and a thiamin diphosphate.

This pathway demonstrate the biosynthesis of thiazole moiety in E.coli K-12 strain and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. L-Tyrosine is generated from tyrosine biosynthesis. With S-Adenosylmethionine and NADPH, L-Tyrosine can be catalyzed into four different small molecules: 4-methylcatechol, dehydroglycine, 5'-deoxyadenosine and L-methionine as well as NADP by dehydroglycine synthase (encoded by thiH gene). Meanwhile, 1-deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate synthase (encoded by dxs gene) catalyzes pyruvic acid and D-Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate into 1-Deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate. The final reaction of the pathway is facilitated by thiazole synthase (encoded by thiG and thiH), which require a thiocarboxy-[ThiS-Protein], 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate and 2-iminoacetate to form 2-((2R,5Z)-2-Carboxy-4-methylthiazol-5(2H)-ylidene)ethyl phosphate for Thiamin Diphosphate Biosynthesis, as well as a ThiS sulfur-carrier protein and water.

Aminopropylcadaverine, a polyamine, is the final product of aminopropylcadaverine biosynthesis pathway. Polyamines are involved in protein synthesis, DNA and RNA related processes, as well as the facilitation of cell stress resistance and membrane integrity; therefore polyamines are essential for cell growth. In this pathway, L-lysine is produced by lysine biosynthesis, then lysine decarboxylase will convert L-lysine into cadaverine. In the final step, spermidine synthase will catalyze cadaverine and decarboxy-SAM to aminopropylcadaverine as well as 5'-Methylthioadenosine.

L-Carnitine can stimulate anaerobic growth of E.coli when exogenous electron acceptors (i.e. nitrate, etc.) are absent. During anaerobic growth, E.coli can reduce L-carnitine to γ-butyrobetaine by CoA-linked intermediates when carbon and nitrogen are present in the system. Therefore, L-carnitine may act as external electron acceptor for anaerobic growth as well as generation of an osmoprotectant for cell.