Document 5
Document 5
Document 5
Introduction……………………………………………………….……………………………1
Synthesis of carbamoyl phosphate………………...…………………………………………...2
Formation of citrulline…………………………………………………………………………3
Synthesis of arginosuccinate…………………………………………………………………...4
Cleavage of arginosuccinate……………………………………………………………………5
Formation of urea………………………………………………………………………………6
Regulation of urea cycle………………………………………………………………………. 7
Integration between urea cycle and TCA cycle………………………………………………...8
Urea cycle disorders……………………………………………………………………………9
References……………………………………………………………………………………...10
Figure 1: Urea cycle.
Urea cycle is the primary metabolic pathway involved in the removal of nitrogenous waste
produced from breakdown of protein and other nitrogen containing compounds.
The urea cycle is also known as the ornithine cycle. Urea is the end product of protein
metabolism. The nitrogen of amino acids, converted to ammonia is toxic to the body. It is
converted to urea and detoxified. It is a cycle of biochemical reactions that produces urea from
ammonia. This cycle occurs in ureotelic organisms. The urea cycle converts highly toxic
ammonia to urea for excretion. Urea cycle is the first metabolic cycle that was described by
Hans Krebs and Kurt Henseleit in 1932, hence it is known as Krebs-Henseleit cycle.
Urea has two amino (NH2) groups, one derived from NH3 and the other from aspartate. Carbon
atom is supplied by CO2. Urea synthesis is a five-step cyclic process, with five distinct enzymes.
The first two enzymes are present in mitochondria while the rest are localized in cytosol.
2. Formation of citrulline
3. Synthesis of arginosuccinate
4. Cleavage of arginosuccinate
5. Formation of urea
Arginase is the fifth and final enzyme that cleaves arginine to yield urea and ornithine. Ornithine,
so regenerated, enters mitochondria for its reuse in the urea cycle. Arginase is activated by Co2 +
and Mn2+. Arginase is mostly found in the liver, while the rest of the enzymes of urea cycle are
also present in other tissues. For this reason, arginine synthesis may occur to varying degrees in
many tissues. But only the liver can ultimately produce urea.
Figure no 7: The production of fumarate in urea cycle is the most important integrating point with TCA cycle.
Fumarate is converted to malate and then to oxaloacetate in TCA cycle. Oxaloacetate undergoes transamination to
produce aspartate which enters urea cycle. Here, it combines with citrulline to produce arginosuccinate.
Urea cycle is linked with TCA cycle in three different ways. This is regarded as bicyclic
integration between the two cycles.
1. The production of fumarate in urea cycle is the most important integrating point with TCA
cycle. Fumarate is converted to malate and then to oxaloacetate in TCA cycle. Oxaloacetate
undergoes transamination to produce aspartate which enters urea cycle. Here, it combines with
citrulline to produce arginosuccinate. Oxaloacetate is an important metabolite which can
combine with acetyl CoA to form citrate and get finally oxidized. Oxaloacetate can also serve as
a precursor for the synthesis of glucose.
2. ATP (12) are generated in the TCA cycle while ATP (4) are utilized for urea synthesis.
3. Citric acid cycle is an important metabolic pathway for the complete oxidation of various
metabolites to CO2 and H2O. The CO2 liberated in TCA cycle (in the mitochondria) can be
utilized in urea cycle.
References:
Tymoczko, John L.; Berg, Jeremy M.; Stryer, Lubert (2013). BIOCHEMISTRY A Short
Course. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York. p. 529.
Mew, Nicholas Ah; Pappa, Maria Belen; Gropman, Andrea L. (2015-01-01), Rosenberg,
Roger N.; Pascual, Juan M. (eds.), "Chapter 57 - Urea Cycle Disorders", Rosenberg's
Molecular and Genetic Basis of Neurological and Psychiatric Disease (Fifth Edition),
Boston: Academic Press, pp. 633–647.
Atkinson, Daniel (September 20, 1991). "Functional Roles of Urea in
Vertebrates". Physiological Zoology (2 ed.). Los Angeles: The University of Chicago
Press. 65 (2): 243–267.
Kaplan Medical USMLE Step 1 Biochemistry and Medical Genetics Lecture Notes
2010, page 261.