The citric acid cycle (CAC)—also known as the Krebs cycle or the TCA cycle —is a series of chemical reactions to release stored energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The Krebs cycle is used by organisms that respire to generate energy, either by anaerobic respiration or aerobic respiration. In addition, the cycle provides precursors of certain amino acids, as well as the reducing agent NADH, that are used in numerous other reactions. Its central importance to many biochemical pathways suggests that it was one of the earliest components of metabolism and may have originated abiogenically. Even though it is branded as a 'cycle', it is not necessary for metabolites to follow only one specific route; at least three alternative segments of the citric acid cycle have been recognized.
α-Ketoglutaric acid is one of two ketone derivatives of glutaric acid. The term "ketoglutaric acid," when not further qualified, almost always refers to the alpha variant. β-Ketoglutaric acid varies only by the position of the ketone functional group, and is much less common.
Glutamate dehydrogenase is an enzyme observed in both prokaryotes and eukaryotic mitochondria. The aforementioned reaction also yields ammonia, which in eukaryotes is canonically processed as a substrate in the urea cycle. Typically, the α-ketoglutarate to glutamate reaction does not occur in mammals, as glutamate dehydrogenase equilibrium favours the production of ammonia and α-ketoglutarate. Glutamate dehydrogenase also has a very low affinity for ammonia, and therefore toxic levels of ammonia would have to be present in the body for the reverse reaction to proceed. However, in brain, the NAD+/NADH ratio in brain mitochondria encourages oxidative deamination. In bacteria, the ammonia is assimilated to amino acids via glutamate and aminotransferases. In plants, the enzyme can work in either direction depending on environment and stress. Transgenic plants expressing microbial GLDHs are improved in tolerance to herbicide, water deficit, and pathogen infections. They are more nutritionally valuable.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) (EC 1.1.1.42) and (EC 1.1.1.41) is an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate, producing alpha-ketoglutarate (α-ketoglutarate) and CO2. This is a two-step process, which involves oxidation of isocitrate (a secondary alcohol) to oxalosuccinate (a ketone), followed by the decarboxylation of the carboxyl group beta to the ketone, forming alpha-ketoglutarate. In humans, IDH exists in three isoforms: IDH3 catalyzes the third step of the citric acid cycle while converting NAD+ to NADH in the mitochondria. The isoforms IDH1 and IDH2 catalyze the same reaction outside the context of the citric acid cycle and use NADP+ as a cofactor instead of NAD+. They localize to the cytosol as well as the mitochondrion and peroxisome.
The branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex is a multi-subunit complex of enzymes that is found on the mitochondrial inner membrane. This enzyme complex catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of branched, short-chain alpha-ketoacids. BCKDC is a member of the mitochondrial α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex family comprising pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, key enzymes that function in the Krebs cycle.
Glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP+) (EC 1.4.1.4, glutamic dehydrogenase, dehydrogenase, glutamate (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate)), glutamic acid dehydrogenase, L-glutamate dehydrogenase, L-glutamic acid dehydrogenase, NAD(P)+-glutamate dehydrogenase, NAD(P)H-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP+)) is an enzyme with systematic name L-glutamate:NADP+ oxidoreductase (deaminating). This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction
Amino acid synthesis is the set of biochemical processes by which the amino acids are produced. The substrates for these processes are various compounds in the organism's diet or growth media. Not all organisms are able to synthesize all amino acids. For example, humans can only synthesize 11 of the 20 standard amino acids, and in time of accelerated growth, histidine can be considered an essential amino acid.
Oxidative deamination is a form of deamination that generates α-keto acids and other oxidized products from amine-containing compounds, and occurs primarily in the liver. Oxidative deamination is stereospecific, meaning it contains different stereoisomers as reactants and products; this process is either catalyzed by L or D- amino acid oxidase and L-amino acid oxidase is present only in the liver and kidney. Oxidative deamination is an important step in the catabolism of amino acids, generating a more metabolizable form of the amino acid, and also generating ammonia as a toxic byproduct. The ammonia generated in this process can then be neutralized into urea via the urea cycle.
In molecular biology, the protein domain Saccharopine dehydrogenase (SDH), also named Saccharopine reductase, is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of the amino acid lysine, via an intermediate substance called saccharopine. The Saccharopine dehydrogenase enzyme can be classified under EC 1.5.1.7, EC 1.5.1.8, EC 1.5.1.9, and EC 1.5.1.10. It has an important function in lysine metabolism and catalyses a reaction in the alpha-Aminoadipic acid pathway. This pathway is unique to fungal organisms therefore, this molecule could be useful in the search for new antibiotics. This protein family also includes saccharopine dehydrogenase and homospermidine synthase. It is found in prokaryotes, eukaryotes and archaea.
D-amino-acid dehydrogenase is a bacterial enzyme that catalyses the oxidation of D-amino acids into their corresponding oxoacids. It contains both flavin and nonheme iron as cofactors. The enzyme has a very broad specificity and can act on most D-amino acids.
In enzymology, a shikimate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.25) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
In enzymology, a homoserine dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.3) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
In enzymology, a ketol-acid reductoisomerase (EC 1.1.1.86) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
In enzymology, a 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase also known as β-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase or 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase, mitochondrial (HIBADH) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the HIBADH gene.
In enzymology, a 2-oxoisovalerate dehydrogenase (acylating) (EC 1.2.1.25) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
In enzymology, an aldehyde dehydrogenase (NAD+) (EC 1.2.1.3) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
In enzymology, an aspartate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase is an enzyme that is very important in the biosynthesis of amino acids in prokaryotes, fungi, and some higher plants. It forms an early branch point in the metabolic pathway forming lysine, methionine, leucine and isoleucine from aspartate. This pathway also produces diaminopimelate which plays an essential role in bacterial cell wall formation. There is particular interest in ASADH as disabling this enzyme proves fatal to the organism giving rise to the possibility of a new class of antibiotics, fungicides, and herbicides aimed at inhibiting it.
Alpha-aminoadipic semialdehyde synthase is an enzyme encoded by the AASS gene in humans and is involved in their major lysine degradation pathway. It is similar to the separate enzymes coded for by the LYS1 and LYS9 genes in yeast, and related to, although not similar in structure, the bifunctional enzyme found in plants. In humans, mutations in the AASS gene, and the corresponding alpha-aminoadipic semialdehyde synthase enzyme are associated with familial hyperlysinemia. This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern and is not considered a particularly negative condition, thus making it a rare disease.
In molecular biology, the isocitrate/isopropylmalate dehydrogenase family is a protein family consisting of the evolutionary related enzymes isocitrate dehydrogenase, 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase and tartrate dehydrogenase.
Branched chain amino acid transaminase 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BCAT1 gene. It is the first enzyme in the Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) degradation pathway and facilitates the reversible transamination of BCAAs and glutamate. BCAT1 resides in the cytoplasm, while its isoform, BCAT2, is found in the mitochondria.
