Lecture 15 Flashcards
provides ~10% of our daily energy
amino acid catabolism
two places that deal with nitrogen metabolism
liver and kidney
the way we get rid of Nitrogen
urea!
glutamate funnel
all AA come into the liver and dump nitrogens onto α-KG and → Glutamate
this is Transamination
rxn catalyzed by Amino Transferase
amino transferase
enzyme that catalyses the transfer of amino groups to αKG

α KG

PLP
PLP
Pyridoxal phosphate
Role of PLP cofactor
allows transaminations by forming adducts to nitrogen and allowing the transfer with a keto acid
oxidative deamination
going from amino group to ammonia
deamination of glutamate to regenerate αKG and free nitrogens
glutamate dehydrogenase does
deaminates glutamate and regenerates αKG
glutamine
also carry nitrogen and can be deaminated
(delivered form muscles)
Alanine when deaminated..
generates pyruvate,
used to generate new glucose
role of pyruvate and alanine in movement of nitrogen between muscle and liver
the deaminated ala produces pyr ⇒ used for producing new glucose.
essentially: flow of lactate & ala out of muscle into liver when glucose is needed
key starting molecule in ornithine cycle
why?
urea!
becuase it is very stable, not very stable and have high pKA
very efficient in carrying nitrogen
function of urea cycle
safe way to get rid of NH3s
production of urine
where does urea cycle occur?
between the mitochondria and the cytosol
allosteric regulator of the rate limiting step in urea cycle
acetylglutamate synthase
rate limiting enzyme of urea cycle
Carbamoyl phosphate
essential amino acids are
amino acids that we cannot make and thus must consume:
One carbon metabolism cofactors: overview of function
Biotin: activates single carbon CO2 to add to things
Tetrahydrofolate: useful in dropping methy group on other AA
S-Adenosinylmethionine: methyl group donor
starting product for NADP
nicotinate (niacin)
PKU
phenylketourea: a deficiency in pathway of converting phenylalanine to tyrosine
PKU as prototype AA catabolic disease
deficiency in these enzymes leads to buildup of substance like phenylalanine. People can’t process things in diet