Browsing Pathways

Lysine is an essential amino acid used in protein synthesis. Lysine can be transported into the cell by probable cadaverine (also known as lysine antiporter). Once inside the cell, lysine is decarboxylated by lysine decarboxylase to cadaverine. Cadaverine can then exit the cell via the same type of transporter as lysine (probable cadaverine). Alternatively, lysine can be produced during lysine biosynthesis (from aspartic acid) inside the cell and used in the same pathway.

Lysine is an essential amino acid used in protein synthesis. Lysine can be transported into the cell by probable cadaverine (also known as lysine antiporter). Once inside the cell, lysine is decarboxylated by lysine decarboxylase to cadaverine. Cadaverine can then exit the cell via the same type of transporter as lysine (probable cadaverine). Alternatively, lysine can be produced during lysine biosynthesis (from aspartic acid) inside the cell and used in the same pathway.

Lysine is an essential amino acid used in protein synthesis. Lysine can be transported into the cell by probable cadaverine (also known as lysine antiporter). Once inside the cell, lysine is decarboxylated by lysine decarboxylase to cadaverine. Cadaverine can then exit the cell via the same type of transporter as lysine (probable cadaverine). Alternatively, lysine can be produced during lysine biosynthesis (from aspartic acid) inside the cell and used in the same pathway.

Aspartate is synthesized from and broken down to oxaloacetate, a TCA cycle intermediate, via a reversible transamination reaction with glutamate. This reaction is catalyzed by the aminotransferase AspC or TyrB. Aspartate is a component of proteins and is involved in many biosyntheses pathways like NAD biosynthesis and beta-alanine metabolism. Aspartate can also be synthesized from fumaric acid through an aspartate ammonia lyase. Aspartate also participates in the synthesis of L-asparagine through two different methods, either through aspartate ammonia ligase or asparagine synthetase B. Aspartate is also a precursor of fumaric acid. Again it has two possible ways of synthesizing it. First set of reactions follows an adenylo succinate synthetase that yields adenylsuccinic acid and then adenylosuccinate lyase in turns leads to fumaric acid. The second way is through argininosuccinate synthase that yields argininosuccinic acid and then argininosuccinate lyase in turns leads to fumaric acid.

In the ornithine biosynthesis pathway of E. coli, L-glutamate is acetylated to N-acetylglutamate by the enzyme N-acetylglutamate synthase, encoded by the argA gene. The acetyl donor for this reaction is acetyl-CoA. N-acetylglutamic acid is then phosphorylated via an ATP driven acetylglutamate kinase which yields a N-acetyl-L-glutamyl 5-phosphate. The product undergoes a NADPH dependent reduction resulting in N-acetyl-L-glutamate 5-semialdehyde which then reacts with L-glutamic acid through a acetylornithine aminotransferase / N-succinyldiaminopimelate aminotransferase to produce a N-acetylornithine. Deacetylated through an acetylornithine deacetylase, N-acetylornithine finally yields an ornithine. Ornithine interacts with hydrogen ion through an ornithine decarboxylase resulting in a carbon dioxide release and a putrescine. Putrescine can be metabolized by reaction with either l-glutamic acid or oxoglutaric acid. If putrescine reacts with L-glutamic acid, it reacts through an ATP mediated gamma-glutamylputrescine producing a hydrogen ion, ADP, phosphate and gamma-glutamyl-L-putrescine. This compound is reduced by interacting with oxygen, water and a gamma-glutamylputrescine oxidoreductase resulting in ammonium, hydrogen peroxide and 4-gamma-glutamylamino butanal. The previous product is then dehydrogenated through a NADP mediated reaction lead by gamma-glutamyl-gamma-aminobutaryaldehyde dehydrogenase resulting in hydrogen ion, NADPH and 4-glutamylamino butanoate. In turn, the latter compound reacts with water through a gamma-glutamyl-gamma-aminobutyrate hydrolase resulting in L-glutamic acid and Gamma aminobutyric acid. On the other hand, if putrescine reacts with oxoglutaric acid through a putrescine aminotransferase, it results in L-glutamic acid, and a 4-aminobutyraldehyde. 4-aminobutyraldehyde reacts with water through a NAD dependent gamma aminobutyraldehyde dehydrogenase resulting in hydrogen ion, NADH and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Gamma Aaminobutyric acid reacts with oxoglutaric acid through 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase resulting in L-glutamic acid and succinic acid semialdehyde. Succinic acid semialdehyde in turn can react with with either NADP or NAD to result in the production of succinic acid through succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or aldehyde dehydrogenase-like protein yneI respectively. Succinic acid can then be integrated in the TCA cycle.

Lysine is biosynthesized from L-aspartic acid. L-Aspartic acid can be incorporated into the cell through various methods: C4 dicarboxylate/orotate:H+ symporter, glutamate/aspartate:H+ symporter GltP, dicarboxylate transporter, C4 dicarboxylate/C4 monocarboxylate transporter DauA, and glutamate/aspartate ABC transporter. L-Aspartic acid is phosphorylated by an ATP-driven aspartate kinase resulting in ADP and L-aspartyl-4-phosphate. L-Aspartyl-4-phosphate is then dehydrogenated through an NADPH-driven aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase resulting in a release of phosphate, NADP, and L-aspartic 4-semialdehyde (involved in methionine biosynthesis). L-Aspartic 4-semialdehyde interacts with a pyruvic acid through a 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate synthase resulting in a release of hydrogen ion, water, and (2S,4S)-4-hydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetrahydrodipicolinate. The latter compound is then reduced by an NADPH-driven 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate reductase resulting in a release of water, NADP, and (S)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydrodipicolinate, This compound interacts with succinyl-CoA and water through a tetrahydrodipicolinate succinylase resulting in a release of coenzyme A and N-succinyl-2-amino-6-ketopimelate. This compound interacts with L-glutamic acid through an N-succinyldiaminopimelate aminotransferase resulting in oxoglutaric acid and N-succinyl-L,L-2,6-diaminopimelate. The latter compound is then desuccinylated by reacting with water through an N-succinyl-L-diaminopimelate desuccinylase resulting in a succinic acid and L,L-diaminopimelate. This compound is then isomerized through a diaminopimelate epimerase resulting in a meso-diaminopimelate (involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis I). This compound is then decarboxylated by a diaminopimelate decarboxylase resulting in a release of carbon dioxide and L-lysine. L-Lysine is then incorporated into the lysine degradation pathway. Lysine also regulates its own biosynthesis by repressing dihydrodipicolinate synthase and also by repressing lysine-sensitive aspartokinase 3. Diaminopielate is a precursor for lysine as well as other cell wall components. Synthesis of lysine starts by converting L-aspartic acid (L-aspartate) to L-Aspartyl-4-phosphate by aspartate kinase. L-Aspartyl-4-phosphate transforms to form L-aspartic 4-semialdehyde (L-aspartate semialdehyde) by aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase with NADPH. L-aspartic 4-semialdehyde can start the metabolic pathway of synthesis of methionine as well as synthesis of threonine. Aspartate kinase can be regulated by its end product: L-Lysine.

E. coli is able to utilize L-ascorbate (vitamin C) as the sole source of carbon under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Ascorbic acid in the cytoplasm is processed through a spontaneous reaction with a hydrogen ion and hydrogen peroxide, producing water, dehydroascorbic acid and ascorbic acid. Dehydroascorbic acid reacts with water spontaneously producing an isomer, dehydroascorbate (bicyclic form). The compound then loses a hydrogen ion resulting in a 2,3-Diketo-L-gulonate which is then reduced through a NADH dependent 2,3 diketo-L-gulonate reductase, releasing a NAD and 3-Dehydro-L-gulonate. 3-Dehydro-L-gulonate is phosphorylated through an ATP mediated L-xylulose/3-keto-L-gulonate kinase resulting in an ADP, hydrogen ion and a 3-Keto-L-gulonate 6 phosphate. L-ascorbate can also be imported and converted to L-ascorbate-6-phosphate by the L-ascorbate PTS transporter. L-ascorbate-6-phosphate reacts with a probable L-ascorbate-6-phosphate lactonase ulaG, resulting in a 3-keto-L-gulonate 6-phosphate. The compound 3-keto-L-gulonate 6-phosphate can then be processed aerobically or anaerobically. Aerobic: 3-keto-L-gulonate 6-phosphate is decarboxylated by a 3-keto-L-gulonate-6-phosphate decarboxylase ulaD, releasing carbon dioxide and L-xylulose-5-phosphate, which is then changed into an isomer by L-ribulose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase ulaE, resulting in L-ribulose 5-phosphate. The product also changes into a different isomer through a L-ribulose-5-phosphate 4-epimerase ulaF resulting in Xylulose 5-phosphate, which is finally used as part of the pentose phosphate pathway. Anaerobic: 3-keto-L-gulonate 6-phosphate is decarboxylated by 3-keto-L-gulonate 6-phosphate decarboxylase sgbH, releasing carbon dioxide and L-xylulose-5-phosphate, which is changed into an isomer by predicted L-xylulose 5-phosphate 3-epimerase, resulting in L-ribulose 5-phosphate. The product again changes into a different isomer through a L-ribulose-5-phosphate 4-epimerase resulting in Xylulose 5-phosphate. Xylulose 5-phosphate then continues as part of the pentose phosphate pathway. Expression of the ula regulon is regulated by the L-ascorbate 6-phosphate-binding repressor UlaR and by cAMP-CRP. Under aerobic conditions, metabolism of L-ascorbate is hindered by the special reactivity and toxicity of this compound in the presence of oxygen.

Nitrogen and nitrogen cycle play an important role in biological process for many microorganisms as catalyzing different reactions. For example, nitrate reduction is used for conversion into ammonia and denitrification, where denitrification is an important cellular respiration process. Nitrogenase enzyme in prokaryotes can fix the atmospheric nitrogen by catalyzing nitrogen fixation (i.e. reduction of nitrogen to ammonia). Nitrate can be introduced into the cytoplasm through a nitrate:nitrite antiporter NarK or a nitrate/nitrite transporter NarU. Nitrate is then reduced by a nitrate reductase resulting in the release of water, an acceptor, and a nitrite. Nitrite can also be introduced into the cytoplasm through a nitrate:nitrite antiporter NarK. Nitrite can be reduced by an NADPH-dependent nitrite reductase resulting in water, NAD, and ammonia. Nitrite can interact with a hydrogen ion and ferrocytochrome c through a cytochrome c-552 ferricytochrome resulting in the release of ferricytochrome c, water, and ammonia. Another process by which ammonia is produced is by a reversible reaction of hydroxylamine with a reduced acceptor through a hydroxylamine reductase. This results in an acceptor, water, and ammonia. Water and carbon dioxide react through a carbonate dehydratase resulting in carbamic acid. This compound reacts spontaneously with hydrogen ion resulting in the release of carbon dioxide and ammonia. Carbon dioxide can interact with water through a carbonic anhydrase resulting in hydrogen carbonate. This compound interacts with cyanate and hydrogen ion through a cyanate hydratase resulting in a carbamic acid. Ammonia can be metabolized by reacting with L-glutamine and ATP-driven glutamine synthetase resulting in ADP, phosphate, and L-glutamine. The latter compound reacts with oxoglutaric acid and hydrogen ion through an NADPH-dependent glutamate synthase resulting in the release of NADP and L-glutamic acid. L-Glutamic acid reacts with water through an NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase resulting in the release of oxoglutaric acid, NADPH, hydrogen ion, and ammonia.

L-Glutamine is transported into the cytoplasm through a glutamine ABC transporter. Once inside, L-glutamine is metabolized with glutaminase to produce an L-glutamic acid. This process can be reversed through a glutamine synthetase resulting in L-glutamine. L-glutamic acid can also be transported into the cytoplasm through various methods: a glutamate/aspartate:H+ symporter GltP, a glutamate:sodium symporter, or a glutamate/aspartate ABC transporter. L-Glutamic acid can proceed to L-glutamate metabolism or it can undergo a reversible reaction through a glutamate racemase resulting in D-glutamic acid. This compound can also be obtained from D-glutamine interacting with a glutaminase. D-Glutamic acid reacts with UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine through an ATP-driven UDP-N-acetylmuramoylalanine-D-glutamate ligase resulting in a UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamate which is then integrated into peptidoglycan biosynthesis. UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine comes from the amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism product, UDP-N-acetylmuraminate which reacts with L-alanine through an ATP-driven UDP-N-acetylmuramate-L-alanine ligase.

Aspartate is synthesized from and broken down to oxaloacetate, a TCA cycle intermediate, via a reversible transamination reaction with glutamate. This reaction is catalyzed by the aminotransferase AspC or TyrB. Aspartate is a component of proteins and is involved in many biosyntheses pathways like NAD biosynthesis and beta-alanine metabolism. Aspartate can also be synthesized from fumaric acid through an aspartate ammonia lyase. Aspartate also participates in the synthesis of L-asparagine through two different methods, either through aspartate ammonia ligase or asparagine synthetase B. Aspartate is also a precursor of fumaric acid. Again it has two possible ways of synthesizing it. First set of reactions follows an adenylo succinate synthetase that yields adenylsuccinic acid and then adenylosuccinate lyase in turns leads to fumaric acid. The second way is through argininosuccinate synthase that yields argininosuccinic acid and then argininosuccinate lyase in turns leads to fumaric acid.