Browsing Pathways

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 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.

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.

Spermidine is formed from decarboxy-SAM and putrescine by catalyzing spermidine synthase (also knowns as polyamine aminopropyltransferase). The source of putrescine is transported from outside of cell by putrescine/spermidine ABC transporter. Decarboxy-SAM comes from S-Adenosylmethionine with catalyzation of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and cofactors: pyruvic acid and magnesium. The other product of the aminopropyltransferase reaction is S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine (MTA), which can be recycled back to L-methionine in many organisms, but not in E. coli. Inhibition of E. coli adenosylmethionine decarboxylase by spermidine appears to be the most significant regulator of polyamine biosynthesis, probably limiting it when the intracellular spermidine concentration becomes excessive. In E. coli most intracellular spermidine is bound to nucleic acids and phospholipids. (EcoCyc)

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.

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.

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.

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.

E. coli lipid A is synthesized on the cytoplasmic surface of the inner membrane. The pathway can start from the fructose 6-phosphate that is either produced in the glycolysis and pyruvate dehydrogenase or be obtained from the interaction with D-fructose interacting with a mannose PTS permease. Fructose 6-phosphate interacts with L-glutamine through a D-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase resulting into a L-glutamic acid and a glucosamine 6-phosphate. The latter compound is isomerized through a phosphoglucosamine mutase resulting a glucosamine 1-phosphate. This compound is acetylated, interacting with acetyl-CoA through a bifunctional protein glmU resulting in a Coenzyme A, hydrogen ion and N-acetyl-glucosamine 1-phosphate. This compound interact with UTP and hydrogen ion through the bifunctional protein glmU resulting in a pyrophosphate and a UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. This compound interacts with (3R)-3-hydroxymyristoyl-[acp] through an UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase resulting in a holo-[acp] and a UDP-3-O[(3R)-3-hydroxymyristoyl]-N-acetyl-alpha-D-glucosamine. This compound interacts with water through UDP-3-O-acyl-N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase resulting in an acetic acid and UDP-3-O-(3-hydroxymyristoyl)-α-D-glucosamine. The latter compound interacts with (3R)-3-hydroxymyristoyl-[acp] through UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-glucosamine N-acyltransferase releasing a hydrogen ion, a holo-acp and UDP-2-N,3-O-bis[(3R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoyl]-α-D-glucosamine. The latter compound is hydrolase by interacting with water and a UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine hydrolase resulting in UMP, hydrogen ion and 2,3-bis[(3R)-3-hydroxymyristoyl]-α-D-glucosaminyl 1-phosphate. This last compound then interacts with a UDP-2-N,3-O-bis[(3R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoyl]-α-D-glucosamine through a lipid A disaccharide synthase resulting in a release of UDP, hydrogen ion and a lipid A disaccharide. The lipid A disaccharide is phosphorylated by an ATP mediated tetraacyldisaccharide 4'-kinase resulting in the release of hydrogen ion and lipid IVA. A D-ribulose 5-phosphate is isomerized with D-arabinose 5-phosphate isomerase 2 to result in a D-arabinose 5-phosphate. This compounds interacts with water and phosphoenolpyruvic acid through a 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate synthase resulting in the release of phosphate and 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate. This compound interacts with water through a 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate phosphatase thus releasing a phosphate and a 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate. The latter compound interacts with CTP through a 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate cytidylyltransferase resulting in a pyrophosphate and CMP-3-deoxy-α-D-manno-octulosonate. CMP-3-deoxy-α-D-manno-octulosonate and lipid IVA interact with each other through a KDO transferase resulting in CMP, hydrogen ion and alpha-Kdo-(2-->6)-lipid IVA. The latter compound reacts with CMP-3-deoxy-α-D-manno-octulosonate through a KDO transferase resulting in a CMP, hydrogen ion, and a a-Kdo-(2->4)-a-Kdo-(2->6)-lipid IVA. The latter compound can either react with a palmitoleoyl-acp through a palmitoleoyl acyltransferase resulting in the release of a holo-acyl carriere protein and a Kdo2-palmitoleoyl-lipid IVa which in turn reacts with a myristoyl-acp through a myristoyl-acp dependent acyltransferase resulting in a release of a holo-acp and a Kdo2-lipid A, cold adapted, or it can interact with a dodecanoyl-[acp] lauroyl acyltransferase resulting in a holo-[acp] and a (KDO)2-(lauroyl)-lipid IVA. The latter compound reacts with a myristoyl-[acp] through a myristoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP)-dependent acyltransferase resulting in a holo-[acp], (KDO)2-lipid A. The latter compound reacts with ADP-L-glycero-beta-D-manno-heptose through ADP-heptose:LPS heptosyltransferase I resulting hydrogen ion, ADP, heptosyl-KDO2-lipid A. The latter compound interacts with ADP-L-glycero-beta-D-manno-heptose through ADP-heptose:LPS heptosyltransferase II resulting in ADP, hydrogen ion and (heptosyl)2-Kdo2-lipid A. The latter compound UDP-glucose interacts with (heptosyl)2-Kdo2-lipid A resulting in UDP, hydrogen ion and glucosyl-(heptosyl)2-Kdo2-lipid A. Glucosyl-(heptosyl)2-Kdo2-lipid A (Escherichia coli) is phosphorylated through an ATP-mediated lipopolysaccharide core heptose (I) kinase resulting in ADP, hydrogen ion and glucosyl-(heptosyl)2-Kdo2-lipid A-phosphate. The latter compound interacts with ADP-L-glycero-beta-D-manno-heptose through a lipopolysaccharide core heptosyl transferase III resulting in ADP, hydrogen ion, and glucosyl-(heptosyl)3-Kdo2-lipid A-phosphate. The latter compound is phosphorylated through an ATP-driven lipopolysaccharide core heptose (II) kinase resulting in ADP, hydrogen ion and glucosyl-(heptosyl)3-Kdo2-lipid A-bisphosphate. The latter compound interacts with UDP-alpha-D-galactose through a UDP-D-galactose:(glucosyl)lipopolysaccharide-1,6-D-galactosyltransferase resulting in a UDP, a hydrogen ion and a galactosyl-glucosyl-(heptosyl)3-Kdo2-lipid A-bisphosphate. The latter compound interacts with UDP-glucose through a (glucosyl)LPS α-1,3-glucosyltransferase resulting in a hydrogen ion, a UDP and galactosyl-(glucosyl)2-(heptosyl)3-Kdo2-lipid A-bisphosphate. This compound then interacts with UDP-glucose through a UDP-glucose:(glucosyl)LPS α-1,2-glucosyltransferase resulting in UDP, a hydrogen ion and galactosyl-(glucosyl)3-(heptosyl)3-Kdo2-lipid A-bisphosphate. This compound then interacts with ADP-L-glycero-beta-D-manno-heptose through a lipopolysaccharide core biosynthesis; heptosyl transferase IV; probably hexose transferase resulting in a Lipid A-core. A lipid A-core is then exported into the periplasmic space by a lipopolysaccharide ABC transporter. The lipid A-core is then flipped to the outer surface of the inner membrane by the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, MsbA. An additional integral membrane protein, YhjD, has recently been implicated in LPS export across the IM. The smallest LPS derivative that supports viability in E. coli is lipid IVA. However, it requires mutations in either MsbA or YhjD, to suppress the normally lethal consequence of an incomplete lipid A . Recent studies with deletion mutants implicate the periplasmic protein LptA, the cytosolic protein LptB, and the IM proteins LptC, LptF, and LptG in the subsequent transport of nascent LPS to the outer membrane (OM), where the LptD/LptE complex flips LPS to the outer surface.

This pathway demonstrates the degradation of extracellular putrescine in E.coli. Putrescine is imported by putrescine transporter (encoded by puuP gene). Putrescine is γ-glutamylated by activation of ATP which generates γ-glutamyl-putrescine, phosphate, and ADP. γ-glutamyl-putrescine is oxidized by gamma-glutamylputrescine oxidoreductase to form γ-glutamyl-γ-butyraldehyde, also produce ammonium and water. Gamma-glutamyl-gamma-aminobutyraldehyde dehydrogenase dehydrogenates γ-glutamyl-γ-butyraldehyde to γ-glutamyl-γ-aminobutyrate, which is then dehydrogenated into γ-Aminobutyric acid and L-Glutamic acid by γ-glutamyl-γ-aminobutyrate hydrolase.