Browsing Pathways

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Phospholipids are membrane components in E. coli. The major phospholipids of E. coli are phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and cardiolipin. All phospholipids contain sn-glycerol-3-phosphate esterified with fatty acids at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. The reaction starts from a glycerone phosphate (dihydroxyacetone phosphate) produced in glycolysis. The glycerone phosphate is transformed into an sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (glycerol 3 phosphate) by NADPH-driven glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. sn-Glycerol 3-phosphate is transformed to a 1-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (lysophosphatidic acid). This can be achieved by an sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase that interacts either with a long-chain acyl-CoA or with an acyl-[acp]. The 1-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate is transformed into a 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (phosphatidic acid) through a 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase. This compound is then converted into a CPD-diacylglycerol through a CTP phosphatidate cytididyltransferase. CPD-diacylglycerol can be transformed either into an L-1-phosphatidylserine or an L-1-phosphatidylglycerol-phosphate through a phosphatidylserine synthase or a phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase, respectively. The L-1-phosphatidylserine transforms into L-1-phosphatidylethanolamine through a phosphatidylserine decarboxylase. On the other hand, L-1-phosphatidylglycerol-phosphate gets transformed into an L-1-phosphatidyl-glycerol through a phosphatidylglycerophosphatase. These 2 products combine to produce a cardiolipin and an ethanolamine. The L-1 phosphatidyl-glycerol can also interact with cardiolipin synthase resulting in a glycerol and a cardiolipin.

Phospholipids are membrane components in E. coli. The major phospholipids of E. coli are phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and cardiolipin. All phospholipids contain sn-glycerol-3-phosphate esterified with fatty acids at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. The reaction starts from a glycerone phosphate (dihydroxyacetone phosphate) produced in glycolysis. The glycerone phosphate is transformed into an sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (glycerol 3 phosphate) by NADPH-driven glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. sn-Glycerol 3-phosphate is transformed to a 1-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (lysophosphatidic acid). This can be achieved by an sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase that interacts either with a long-chain acyl-CoA or with an acyl-[acp]. The 1-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate is transformed into a 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (phosphatidic acid) through a 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase. This compound is then converted into a CPD-diacylglycerol through a CTP phosphatidate cytididyltransferase. CPD-diacylglycerol can be transformed either into an L-1-phosphatidylserine or an L-1-phosphatidylglycerol-phosphate through a phosphatidylserine synthase or a phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase, respectively. The L-1-phosphatidylserine transforms into L-1-phosphatidylethanolamine through a phosphatidylserine decarboxylase. On the other hand, L-1-phosphatidylglycerol-phosphate gets transformed into an L-1-phosphatidyl-glycerol through a phosphatidylglycerophosphatase. These 2 products combine to produce a cardiolipin and an ethanolamine. The L-1 phosphatidyl-glycerol can also interact with cardiolipin synthase resulting in a glycerol and a cardiolipin.

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.

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.

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.