Browsing Pathways

L-lyxose is a sugar and a monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms and aldehyde group. Wild-type E.coli can't utilize L-lyxose as its source of carbon and energy. In mutated E.coli, it can metabolize l-lyxose through utilization of enzymes of the rhamnose, arabinose and 2,3-diketo-L-gulonate systems. β-L-lyxopyranose enter cell by L-rhamnose-proton symporter, then convert to l-xylulose by L-rhamnose isomerase. L-xylulose is further metabolized to L-xylulose-5-phosphate with energy ATP. Putative L-ribulose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase can convert L-xylulose -5-phosphate to L-ribulose 5-phosphate, and L-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase can catalyze L-ribulose 5-phosphate to xylulose 5-phosphate for further pentose phosphate.

Methylglyoxal, also known as pyruvaldehyde, is a cytotoxic compound derived from pyruvic acid. In E. coli, there are at least eight pathways that are responsible for the detoxification of methylglyoxal. The first reaction in this pathway is the reduction of pyruvaldehyde to (S)-lactaldehyde, along with the cofactor NADH, catalyzed by 2,5-diketo-D-gluconic acid reductase subunits A and B. Following this, (S)-lactaldehyde is dehydrogenated into L-lactic acid by the lactaldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme, also using NAD as a cofactor. Finally, L-lactic acid is converted to pyruvic acid by L-lactate dehydrogenase in a reaction involving the reduction of an electron acceptor. Pyruvic acid is then used in glycolysis and pyruvate dehydrogenase pathways.

The most common pathway for methylglyoxal detoxification is the glyoxalase system, which is composed of two enzymes that together convert methylglyoxal to (R)-lactate in the presence of glutathione. However, in E. coli, a single enzyme, glyoxalase III, catalyzes this conversion in a single step without involvement of glutathione. Activity of glyoxalase III increases at the transition to stationary phase and expression is dependent on RpoS, suggesting that this pathway may be important during stationary phase. (EcoCyc)

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.

Rhamnolipids (RL) consist of a fatty acyl moiety composed of a 3-(3-hydroxyalkanoyloxy)alkaloid acid (HAA) and a sugar moiety composed of one or two rhamnose sugars. Rhamnolipids function as surfactants and virulence factors and are involved in biofilm formation and cell motility. The rhamnose sugar component is produced via the dTDP-L-rhamnose biosynthetic pathway which forms dTDP-L-rhamnose from glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) in five steps. First, glucose 6-phosphate is converted into glucose 1-phosphate (G1P) via the enzyme phosphoglucomutase (AlgC). Second, glucose 1-phosphate is converted into dTDP-D-glucose via the enzyme glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase (RmlA). Third, dTDP-D-glucose is converted into dTDP-4-dehydro-6-deoxy-D-glucose via the enzyme dTDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase (RmlB). Fourth, dTDP-4-dehydro-6-deoxy-D-glucose is converted into dTDP-4-dehydro-L-rhamnose via the enzyme dTDP-4-dehydrorhamnose 3,5-epimerase (RmlC). Fifth, dTDP-4-dehydro-L-rhamnose is converted into dTDP-L-rhamnose via the enzyme dTDP-4-dehydrorhamnose reductase (RmlD). The HAA component is synthesized from 3-hydroxyacyl-[acyl-carrier protein] diverted from fatty acid biosynthesis via the enzyme 3-(3-hydroxydecanoyloxy)decanoate synthase (RhIA). The final step in rhamnolipid biosynthesis is the formation of the glycosidic link between the rhamnose sugar component and the HAA component. This is accomplished by two rhamnosyltransferases (RhlB and RhlC) which catalyze sequential glycosyl transfer reactions to first form mono-rhamnolipids (via RhIB) and then di-rhamnolipids (via RhIC). RHlA, RHlB, and RHlC are associated with the inner membrane.

L-threonine is degrade into methylglyoxal (pyruvaldehyde) by first reacting with a NDA dependent threonine dehydrogenase resulting in the release of a hydrogen ion, an NADH and a 2-amino-3-oxobutanoate. The latter compound reacts spontaneously with a hydrogen ion resulting in the release of a carbon dioxide and a aminoacetone. The aminoacetone in turn reacts with an oxygen and a water molecule through an aminoacetone oxidase resulting in the release of a hydrogen peroxide, ammonium and a methylglyoxal which can then be incorporated in the methylglyoxal degradation pathways.

L-threonine is degrade into methylglyoxal (pyruvaldehyde) by first reacting with a NDA dependent threonine dehydrogenase resulting in the release of a hydrogen ion, an NADH and a 2-amino-3-oxobutanoate. The latter compound reacts spontaneously with a hydrogen ion resulting in the release of a carbon dioxide and a aminoacetone. The aminoacetone in turn reacts with an oxygen and a water molecule through an aminoacetone oxidase resulting in the release of a hydrogen peroxide, ammonium and a methylglyoxal which can then be incorporated in the methylglyoxal degradation pathways.

Guanosine can be converted into guanine through a phosphate driven guanosine phosphorylase resulting in the release of an alpha-D-ribose 1 phosphate and a guanine. This compound in turn reacts with a PRPP through a guanine phosphoribosyltransferase resulting in the release of a pyrophosphate and a GMP. Guanosine can also react with and ATP driven guanosine kinase resulting in the release of an ADP, s hydrogen ion and a GMP

Guanosine can be converted into guanine through a phosphate driven guanosine phosphorylase resulting in the release of an alpha-D-ribose 1 phosphate and a guanine. This compound in turn reacts with a PRPP through a guanine phosphoribosyltransferase resulting in the release of a pyrophosphate and a GMP. Guanosine can also react with and ATP driven guanosine kinase resulting in the release of an ADP, s hydrogen ion and a GMP

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.