Amino Acid/Protein Metabolism

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins which make structure of body organs, the co-ordinated function of these organs and organ system is crucial to the daily activities and metabolism of foods and xenobiotics we take.

Amino acid metabolism consists of two steps, transamination and oxidative deamination. The first step (transamination step) of amino acid catabolism involves the transfer of an α-amino group from the original amino acid to an α-keto acid such as α-ketoglutarate. And in this process, anotherα-keto acid and glutamate are formed. The second step (oxidative deamination step) removes the amino group from glutamate under the catalysis of glutamate dehydrogenase.

A variety of intermediate products (pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, fumarase, and oxaloacetate, etc) produced during the degradation of amino acids, these intermediate can be used as precursors to produce glucose, fatty acids or ketones.

Ammonia produced by degradation of amino acids is toxic and reacts with pyruvate or glutamic acid (Glu) to form alanine (Ala) or glutamine (Gln). In the liver, glutamine and alanine remove amino groups to produce ammonia, which participates in the urea cycle, eventually producing urea to be excreted from the body. The metabolic disorder of urea cycle leads to high ammonia concentration in blood, leading to hyperammonemia.

Related Compound Screening Libraries (1)