Amino Acid Metabolism
Amino Acid Metabolism
Amino Acid Metabolism
Nitrogen balance
protein catabolism,
synthesis biosynthesis
excess dietary amino acids (in excess over that required for
protein synthesis) are not stored but are degraded and
carbon skeletons used for glucose biosynthesis or energy
production.
When:
excess protein in diet
protein degradation exceeds demand for new protein
starvation when carbohydrates are not available
protein storing seeds such as beans, peas, etc.
N catabolism
general strategy:
removal of N from amino acid by transamination
(generally first or second step of amino acid catabolic
pathways)
collection of N in glutamic acid
deamination of glutamic acid with release of NH4+
Removal of NH4+ by : i. secretion; or ii. conversion to
urea or other less toxic form.
i and ii. Transamination; see text p 537 and fig 17.7. see also
section 7.7, p212 on pyridoxal phosphate.
Urea cycle
occurs in liver mito and cyto
urea secreted in urine - up to 30 g/day
source of N - glutamate dehydrogenase,
glutaminase
Reactions of:
carbamylphosphate synthase - mito
produces carbamyl phosphate from 2
ATP, CO2 and NH4+
committed step
activated by N'Ac glutamate
ornithine transcarbamylase - mito
tightly coupled to carbamylphosphate
synthase so that carbamyl phosphate is
rapidly added to ornithine to form
citrulline
arginosuccinate synthtase - cyto
aspartate transported into mito in
exchange for glu.
arginosuccinate lyase - cyto
yields arginine and fumarate.
fumarate used for synthesis of glucose
(fumarate malate OAA PEP
etc.
arginase - cyto
yields urea and ornithine
ornithine transported back into mito
absent from kidney which cannot make
urea but is a source of arginine.
Interorgan relationships in N metabolism
Epithelial cells
Several
of intestine
steps
GluNH2 cittruline
GluNH2
Liver
Kidney
cittruline
glutamate
To urine
Muscle
creatine
P-creatine
creatinine non-enzymatic
Muscle
glucose
2 pyruvate
-aa
-ka 2 alanine
glucose 2 alanine
Liver
2 alanine
glucose
-ka
2 pyruvate -aa