Berg J.M., Tymoczko J.L., Stryer L. Biochemistry
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The reaction begins with the phosphorylation of HCO
3
-
to form carboxyphosphate, which then reacts with ammonium
ion to form carbamic acid. Finally, a second molecule of ATP phosphorylates carbamic acid to carbamoyl phosphate.
The structure and mechanism of the fascinating enzyme that catalyzes these reactions will be discussed in Chapter 25.
The consumption of two molecules of ATP makes this synthesis of carbamoyl phosphate essentially irreversible. The
mammalian enzyme requires N-acetyl-glutamate for activity, as will be discussed shortly.
The carbamoyl group of carbamoyl phosphate, which has a high transfer potential because of its anhydride bond, is
transferred to ornithine to form citrulline, in a reaction catalyzed by ornithine transcarbamoylase.
Ornithine and citrulline are amino acids, but they are not used as building blocks of proteins. The formation of NH
4
+
by
glutamate dehydrogenase, its incorporation into carbamoyl phosphate, and the subsequent synthesis of citrulline take
place in the mitochondrial matrix. In contrast, the next three reactions of the urea cycle, which lead to the formation of
urea, take place in the cytosol.
Citrulline is transported to the cytoplasm where it condenses with aspartate, the donor of the second amino group of urea.
This synthesis of argininosuccinate, catalyzed by argininosuccinate synthetase, is driven by the cleavage of ATP into
AMP and pyrophosphate and by the subsequent hydrolysis of pyrophosphate.
Argininosuccinase cleaves argininosuccinate into arginine and fumarate. Thus, the carbon skeleton of aspartate is
preserved in the form of fumarate.
Finally, arginine is hydrolyzed to generate urea and ornithine in a reaction catalyzed by arginase. Ornithine is then
transported back into the mitochondrion to begin another cycle. The urea is excreted. Indeed, human beings excrete
about 10 kg (22 pounds) of urea per year.
23.4.2. The Urea Cycle Is Linked to the Citric Acid Cycle
The stoichiometry of urea synthesis is
Pyrophosphate is rapidly hydrolyzed, and so the equivalent of four molecules of ATP are consumed in these reactions to
synthesize one molecule of urea. The synthesis of fumarate by the urea cycle is important because it links the urea cycle
and the citric acid cycle (Figure 23.17). Fumarate is hydrated to malate, which is in turn oxidized to oxaloacetate.
Oxaloacetate has several possible fates: (1) transamination to aspartate, (2) conversion into glucose by the gluconeogenic
pathway, (3) condensation with acetyl CoA to form citrate, or (4) conversion into pyruvate.
23.4.3. The Evolution of the Urea Cycle
We have previously encountered carbamoyl phosphate as a sub- strate for aspartate transcarbamoylase, the
enzyme that catalyzes the first step in pyrimidine biosynthesis (Section 10.1). Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase
generates carbamoyl phosphate for both this pathway and the urea cycle. In mammals, two distinct carbamoyl phosphate
synthetase isozymes are present. As discussed earlier, the mitochondrial enzyme uses NH
4
+
as the nitrogen source, as is
appropriate for its role in the urea cycle. In pyrimidine biosynthesis, carbamoyl phosphate synthetase differs in two
important ways (Section 25.1.1). First, this enzyme utilizes glutamine as a nitrogen source. The side chain amide is
hydrolyzed within one domain of the enzyme and the ammonia generated moves through a tunnel in the enzyme to react
with carboxyphosphate. Second, this enzyme is part of a large polypeptide called CAD that comprises three distinct
enzymes: carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase, all of which catalyze steps
in pyrimidine biosynthesis (Section 25.1). Interestingly, the domain in which glutamine hydrolysis takes place is largely
preserved in the urea-cycle enzyme, although that domain is catalytically inactive. This site binds N-acetylglutamate, an
allosteric activator of the enzyme. N-Acetylglutamate is synthesized only if free amino acids are present, an indication
that any ammonia generated must be disposed of. A catalytic site in one isozyme has been adapted to act as an allosteric
site in another isozyme having a different physiological role.
What about the other enzymes in the urea cycle? Ornithine transcarbamoylase is homologous to aspartate
transcarbamoylase and the structures of their catalytic subunits are quite similar (Figure 23.18). Thus, two consecutive
steps in the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway were adapted for urea synthesis. The next step in the urea cycle is the
addition of aspartate to citrulline to form argininosuccinate, and the subsequent step is the removal of fumarate. These
two steps together accomplish the net addition of an amino group to citrulline to form arginine. Remarkably, these steps
are analogous to two consecutive steps in the purine biosynthetic pathway (Section 25.2.3).
The enzymes that catalyze these steps are homologous to argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinase,
respectively. Thus, four of the five enzymes in the urea cycle were adapted from enzymes taking part in nucleotide
biosynthesis. The remaining enzyme, arginase, appears to be an ancient enzyme found in all domains of life.
23.4.4. Inherited Defects of the Urea Cycle Cause Hyperammonemia and Can Lead to
Brain Damage
The synthesis of urea in the liver is the major route of removal of NH
4
+
. A blockage of carbamoyl phosphate
synthesis or of any of the four steps of the urea cycle has devastating consequences because there is no alternative
pathway for the synthesis of urea. All defects in the urea cycle lead to an elevated level of NH
4
+
in the blood
(hyperammonemia). Some of these genetic defects become evident a day or two after birth, when the afflicted infant
becomes lethargic and vomits periodically. Coma and irreversible brain damage may soon follow. Why are high levels of
NH
4
+
toxic? The answer to this question is not yet known. One possibility is that elevated levels of glutamine, formed
from NH
4
+
and glutamate (Section 23.3.5), produce osmotic effects that lead directly to brain swelling.
Ingenious strategies for coping with deficiencies in urea synthesis have been devised on the basis of a thorough
understanding of the underlying biochemistry. Consider, for example, argininosuccinase deficiency. This defect can be
partly bypassed by providing a surplus of arginine in the diet and restricting the total protein intake. In the liver,
arginine is split into urea and ornithine, which then reacts with carbamoyl phosphate to form citrulline (Figure 23.19).
This urea-cycle intermediate condenses with aspartate to yield argininosuccinate, which is then excreted. Note that two
nitrogen atoms one from carbamoyl phosphate and another from aspartate are eliminated from the body per
molecule of arginine provided in the diet. In essence, argininosuccinate substitutes for urea in carrying nitrogen out of
the body.
The treatment of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase deficiency or ornithine transcarbamoylase deficiency illustrates a
different strategy for circumventing a metabolic block. Citrulline and argininosuccinate cannot be used to dispose of
nitrogen atoms, because their formation is impaired. Under these conditions, excess nitrogen accumulates in glycine and
glutamine. The challenge then is to rid the body of these two amino acids, which is accomplished by supplementing a
protein-restricted diet with large amounts of benzoate and phenylacetate. Benzoate is activated to benzoyl CoA, which
reacts with glycine to form hippurate (Figure 23.20). Likewise, phenylacetate is activated to phenylacetyl CoA, which
reacts with glutamine to form phenylacetylglutamine. These conjugates substitute for urea in the disposal of nitrogen.
Thus, latent biochemical pathways can be activated to partly bypass a genetic defect.
23.4.5. Urea Is Not the Only Means of Disposing of Excess Nitrogen
As discussed earlier, most terrestrial vertebrates are ureotelic; they excrete excess nitrogen as urea. However, urea is not
the only excretable form of nitrogen. Ammoniotelic organisms, such as aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates, release
nitrogen as NH
4
+
and rely on the aqueous environment to dilute this toxic substance. Interestingly, lungfish, which are
normally ammoniotelic, become ureotelic in time of drought, when they live out of the water.
Both ureotelic and ammoniotelic organisms depend on sufficient water, to varying degrees, for nitrogen excretion. In
contrast, uricotelic organisms, which secrete nitrogen as the purine uric acid, require little water. Disposal of excess
nitrogen as uric acid is especially valuable in animals, such as birds, that produce eggs having impermeable membranes
that accumulate waste products. The pathway for nitrogen excretion developed in the course of evolution clearly depends
on the habitat of the organism.
II. Transducing and Storing Energy 23. Protein Turnover and Amino Acid Catabolism 23.4. Ammonium Ion Is Converted Into Urea in Most Terrestrial Vertebrates
Figure 23.16. The Urea Cycle.
II. Transducing and Storing Energy 23. Protein Turnover and Amino Acid Catabolism 23.4. Ammonium Ion Is Converted Into Urea in Most Terrestrial Vertebrates
Figure 23.17. Metabolic Integration of Nitrogen Metabolism. The urea cycle, the citric acid cycle, and the
transamination of oxaloacetate are linked by fumarate and aspartate.
II. Transducing and Storing Energy 23. Protein Turnover and Amino Acid Catabolism 23.4. Ammonium Ion Is Converted Into Urea in Most Terrestrial Vertebrates
Figure 23.18. Homologous Enzymes. The structure of the catalytic subunit of ornithine transcarbamoylase (blue) is
quite similar to that of the catalytic subunit of aspartate transcarbamoylase (red), indicating that these two
enzymes are homologs.
II. Transducing and Storing Energy 23. Protein Turnover and Amino Acid Catabolism 23.4. Ammonium Ion Is Converted Into Urea in Most Terrestrial Vertebrates
Figure 23.19. Treatment of Argininosuccinase Deficiency. Argininosuccinase deficiency can be managed by
supplementing the diet with arginine. Nitrogen is excreted in the form of argininosuccinate.
II. Transducing and Storing Energy 23. Protein Turnover and Amino Acid Catabolism 23.4. Ammonium Ion Is Converted Into Urea in Most Terrestrial Vertebrates
Figure 23.20. Treatment of Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase and Ornithine Transcarbamoylase Deficiencies.
Both deficiencies can be treated by supplementing the diet with benzoate and phenylacetate. Nitrogen is excreted in the
form of hippurate and phenylacetylglutamine.
II. Transducing and Storing Energy 23. Protein Turnover and Amino Acid Catabolism
23.5. Carbon Atoms of Degraded Amino Acids Emerge as Major Metabolic
Intermediates
We now turn to the fates of the carbon skeletons of amino acids after the removal of the α-amino group. The strategy of
amino acid degradation is to transform the carbon skeletons into major metabolic intermediates that can be converted
into glucose or oxidized by the citric acid cycle. The conversion pathways range from extremely simple to quite
complex. The carbon skeletons of the diverse set of 20 fundamental amino acids are funneled into only seven molecules:
pyruvate, acetyl CoA, acetoacetyl CoA, α-ketoglutarate, succinyl CoA, fumarate, and oxaloacetate. We see here a
striking example of the remarkable economy of metabolic conversions, as well as an illustration of the importance of
certain metabolites.
Amino acids that are degraded to acetyl CoA or acetoacetyl CoA are termed ketogenic amino acids because they can
give rise to ketone bodies or fatty acids. Amino acids that are degraded to pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, succinyl CoA,
fumarate, or oxaloacetate are termed glucogenic amino acids. The net synthesis of glucose from these amino acids is
feasible because these citric acid cycle intermediates and pyruvate can be converted into phosphoenolpyruvate and then
into glucose (Section 16.3.2). Recall that mammals lack a pathway for the net synthesis of glucose from acetyl CoA or
acetoacetyl CoA.
Of the basic set of 20 amino acids, only leucine and lysine are solely ketogenic (Figure 23.21). Isoleucine, phenylalanine,
tryptophan, and tyrosine are both ketogenic and glucogenic. Some of their carbon atoms emerge in acetyl CoA or
acetoacetyl CoA, whereas others appear in potential precursors of glucose. The other 14 amino acids are classed as
solely glucogenic. This classification is not universally accepted, because different quantitative criteria are applied.
Whether an amino acid is regarded as being glucogenic, ketogenic, or both depends partly on the eye of the beholder. We
will identify the degradation pathways by the entry point into metabolism.
23.5.1. Pyruvate as an Entry Point into Metabolism
Pyruvate is the entry point of the three-carbon amino acids
alanine, serine, and cysteine into the metabolic
mainstream (Figure 23.22). The transamination of alanine directly yields pyruvate.
As mentioned previously (Section 23.3.1), glutamate is then oxidatively deaminated, yielding NH
4
+
and regenerating α-
ketoglutarate. The sum of these reactions is
Another simple reaction in the degradation of amino acids is the deamination of serine to pyruvate by serine dehydratase
(Section 23.3.4).
Cysteine can be converted into pyruvate by several pathways, with its sulfur atom emerging in H
2
S, SCN
-
, or SO
3
2-
.
The carbon atoms of three other amino acids can be converted into pyruvate. Glycine can be converted into serine by
enzymatic addition of a hydroxymethyl group or it can be cleaved to give CO
2
, NH
4
+
, and an activated one-carbon unit
(Section 24.2.6). Threonine can give rise to pyruvate through the intermediate aminoacetone. Three carbon atoms of
tryptophan can emerge in alanine, which can be converted into pyruvate.
23.5.2. Oxaloacetate as an Entry Point into Metabolism
Aspartate and asparagine are converted into oxaloacetate, a citric acid cycle intermediate. Aspartate, a four-carbon
amino acid, is directly transaminated to oxaloacetate.
Asparagine is hydrolyzed by asparaginase to NH
4
+
and aspartate, which is then transaminated.
Recall that aspartate can also be converted into fumarate by the urea cycle (Section 23.4.2). Fumarate is also a point of
entry for half the carbon atoms of tyrosine and phenylalanine, as will be discussed shortly.
23.5.3. Alpha-Ketoglutarate as an Entry Point into Metabolism
The carbon skeletons of several five-carbon amino acids enter the citric acid cycle at α -ketoglutarate. These amino
acids are first converted into gluta-mate, which is then oxidatively deaminated by glutamate dehydrogenase to yield α-
ketoglutarate (Figure 23.23).
Histidine is converted into 4-imidazolone 5-propionate (Figure 23.24). The amide bond in the ring of this intermediate is
hydrolyzed to the N-formimino derivative of glutamate, which is then converted into glutamate by transfer of its
formimino group to tetrahydrofolate, a carrier of activated one-carbon units (Section 24.2.6).
Glutamine is hydrolyzed to glutamate and NH
4
+
by glutaminase. Proline and arginine are each converted into glutamate
γ-semialdehyde, which is then oxidized to glutamate (Figure 23.25).
23.5.4. Succinyl Coenzyme A Is a Point of Entry for Several Nonpolar Amino Acids
Succinyl CoA is a point of entry for some of the carbon atoms of methio-nine, isoleucine, and valine. Propionyl CoA and
then methylmalonyl CoA are intermediates in the breakdown of these three nonpolar amino acids (Figure 23.26). The
mechanism for the interconversion of propionyl CoA and methylmalonyl CoA was presented in Section 22.3.3. This
pathway from propionyl CoA to succinyl CoA is also used in the oxidation of fatty acids that have an odd number of
carbon atoms (Section 22.3.2).
23.5.5. Methionine Degradation Requires the Formation of a Key Methyl Donor, S-
Adenosylmethionine
Methionine is converted into succinyl CoA in nine steps (Figure 23.2.7). The first step is the adenylation of methionine
to form S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), a common methyl donor in the cell (Section 24.2.7). Methyl donation and
deadenylation yield homocysteine, which is eventually processed to α-ketobutyrate. The enzyme α-ketoacid
dehydrogenase complex oxidatively decarboxylates α-ketobutyrate to propionyl CoA, which is processed to succinyl
CoA as described in Section 23.3.3.
23.5.6. The Branched-Chain Amino Acids Yield Acetyl CoA, Acetoacetate, or
Propionyl CoA
The degradation of the branched-chain amino acids employs reactions that we have encountered previously in the citric
acid cycle and fatty acid oxidation. Leucine is transaminated to the corresponding α-ketoacid, α-ketoisocaproate. This α-
ketoacid is oxidatively decarboxylated to isovaleryl CoA by the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex.
The α-ketoacids of valine and isoleucine, the other two branched-chain aliphatic amino acids, as well as α-ketobutyrate
derived from methionine also are substrates. The oxidative decarboxylation of these α-ketoacids is analogous to that of
pyruvate to acetyl CoA and of α-ketoglutarate to succinyl CoA. The branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase, a
multienzyme complex, is a homolog of pyruvate dehydrogenase (Section 17.1.1) and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase
(Section 17.1.6). Indeed, the E3 components of these enzymes, which regenerate the oxidized form of lipoamide, are
identical.
The isovaleryl CoA derived from leucine is dehydrogenated to yield β-methylcrotonyl CoA. This oxidation is catalyzed
by isovaleryl CoA dehydrogenase. The hydrogen acceptor is FAD, as in the analogous reaction in fatty acid oxidation
that is catalyzed by acyl CoA dehydrogenase. β-Methylglutaconyl CoA is then formed by the carboxylation of β-
methylcrotonyl CoA at the expense of the hydrolysis of a molecule of ATP. As might be expected, the carboxylation
mechanism of β-methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase is similar to that of pyruvate carboxylase and acetyl CoA carboxylase.
β-Methylglutaconyl CoA is then hydrated to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA, which is cleaved into acetyl CoA
and acetoacetate. This reaction has already been discussed in regard to the formation of ketone bodies from fatty acids
(Section 22.3.5).
The degradative pathways of valine and isoleucine resemble that of leucine. After transamination and oxidative
decarboxylation to yield a CoA derivative, the subsequent reactions are like those of fatty acid oxidation. Isoleucine
yields acetyl CoA and propionyl CoA, whereas valine yields CO
2
and propionyl CoA. The degradation of leucine,
valine, and isoleucine validate a point made earlier (Chapter 14): the number of reactions in metabolism is large, but the
number of kinds of reactions is relatively small. The degradation of leucine, valine, and isoleucine provides a striking
illustration of the underlying simplicity and elegance of metabolism.
23.5.7. Oxygenases Are Required for the Degradation of Aromatic Amino Acids
The degradation of the aromatic amino acids is not as straightforward as that of the amino acids previously discussed,
although the final products
acetoacetate, fumarate, and pyruvate are common intermediates. For the aromatic amino
acids, molecular oxygen is used to break an aromatic ring.
The degradation of phenylalanine begins with its hydroxylation to tyrosine, a reaction catalyzed by phenylalanine
hydroxylase. This enzyme is called a monooxygenase (or mixed-function oxygenase) because one atom of O
2
appears in
the product and the other in H
2
O.
The reductant here is tetrahydrobiopterin, an electron carrier that has not been previously discussed and is derived from
the cofactor biopterin. Because biopterin is synthesized in the body, it is not a vitamin. Tetrahydrobiopterin is initially
formed by the reduction of dihydrobiopterin by NADPH in a reaction catalyzed by dihydrofolate reductase (Figure
23.28). NADH reduces the quinonoid form of dihydrobiopterin produced in the hydroxylation of phenylalanine back to
tetrahydrobiopterin in a reaction catalyzed by dihydropteridine reductase. The sum of the reactions catalyzed by
phenylalanine hydroxylase and dihydropteridine reductase is
Note that these reactions can also be used to synthesize tyrosine from phenylalanine.
The next step in the degradation of phenylalanine and tyrosine is the transamination of tyrosine to p-
hydroxyphenylpyruvate (Figure 23.29). This α-ketoacid then reacts with O
2
to form homogentisate. The enzyme
catalyzing this complex reaction, p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate hydroxylase, is called a dioxygenase because both atoms of O
2
become incorporated into the product, one on the ring and one in the carboxyl group. The aromatic ring of
homogentisate is then cleaved by O
2
, which yields 4-maleylacetoacetate. This reaction is catalyzed by homogentisate
oxidase, another dioxygenase. 4-Maleylacetoacetate is then isomerized to 4-fumarylacetoacetate by an enzyme that uses
glutathione as a cofactor. Finally, 4-fumarylacetoacetate is hydrolyzed to fumarate and acetoacetate.
Tryptophan degradation requires several oxygenases (Figure 23.30). Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase cleaves the pyrrole
ring, and kynureinine 3-monooxygenase hydroxylates the remaining benzene ring, a reaction similar to the hydroxylation
of phenylalanine to form tyrosine. Alanine is removed and the 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid is cleaved with another
dioxygenase and subsequently processed to acetoacetyl CoA (Figure 23.31). Nearly all cleavages of aromatic rings in