Dr. Purich - Biochem Flashcards
What is the purpose of glutamine synthase?
It is responsible for the production of glutamine in the cytosol.
How is the glutamine sythase reaction powered?
We use ATP to power the trapping of ammonia to keep ammonia levels low and synthesize glutamine.
How does GDP use different cofactors for opposite reactions?
The overall reactions are:
NAD+ + Glu –> Alph-KG + NH4 + NADH
NADP+ + Glu –> Alpha-KG + NH4 + NADPH
The ratio of (NAD/NADH) = 700
The ration of (NADP+/NADPH) = .0005
This drives the first reaction to the right and second to the left. This means that the very same enzyme in the presence of different cofactors catalyzes to different reactions.
Where is CPS2 found?
It is found in the cytosol and is used in the production of pyrimidine nucleotides. It uses glutamine as a substrate.
What is the amino acid acceptor for transamination reaction to proceed?
alpha-ketoglutarate
If an alpha-ketogluterate has an amino acid bound to it how do we remove it?
By deamination. This regenerates the alpha-ketogluterate and also forms nitrogen.
When NAGS is activated what happens?
The cell makes N-Acetyl-Glutamate from Glutamate and acetyl-Coa
What are some of the characteristics of the urea pathway?
It is highly energy dependent
It releases considerable acid in the process
What factors dictate protein turnover?
- Turnover rate is encoded in protein
- Metabolism of person
If you have high Glutamate and no good NAGS what happens?
The cell can’t produce Urea from the excess Glutamate and becomes hyperammonemic.
What is the main nitrogenous product in mammals?
Urea - it is the end product of ammonia detoxification.
For what reasons does de novo amino acid synthesis occur?
- To provide building blocks for protein
- Restore amino acid pools in specific tissue
- Needed for synthesizing special AA’s
- As a source of energy
- Glucogenic (make glucose)
- Ketogenic (make ketones)
How do we get single amino acids and very small peptides?
By the actions of other pepsidases (exo in epithelial and carboxyl is soluble)
When does cys become an essentail amino acid?
Then there are low levels of Met
Once you have Argininosuccinate in the urea cycle what happens next?
We split it up with a lyase - argininosuccinate lyase and produce arginine and fumarate. Clinical manifestations of excess urea can be minimized by decreasing protein intake and reducing starvation, steroid use.
What kinds of NAGS mutations are there?
Primary: Mutation in gene
Secondary: Mitochondrial changes that interfer with NAGS
What is a non-essential amino acid?
One that can be manufactured in the body de novo
Examples of transamination reactions that have a Keq=0 are:
Alanine + alph-ketoglutarate = pyruvate and glutamate
Glutamate + Oxaloacetate = Aspartate + α-Ketoglutarate
What enzye is responsible for deamination glutamate?
Glutamate Dehydrogenase
What are the two major pathways of protein turnover?
- Ubiquitin dependent pathways that use proteosomes
- Lysosomal / phagocytic pathways that break them apart after H+ has made them neutral and set them up for proteolysis.
What organ is responsible for the processing of excess ammonia into urea?
The liver
What is the primary nitrogenous end product excreted by mammals?
Urea
What dictates the amount of urea we excrete?
Metabolism rate
What is the primary point of the urea cycle?
To detoxify ammonia.
What NAGS analogue can be used to restore glutamate degradation?
N-Carbamoylglutamate
The urea cycle happens where?
In both the cytosol and mitochondria of liver cells.
What is an essential amino acid?
What that must be taken up in the diet - the body can’t make it de novo
What is common to amino acids derived from diet and thos that are released from degredation pathways?
The all enter the same pathways of biosythesis.
What do L and D amino acid oxidases do?
They take an amino acid and oxygen in the presence of FMN and forms NH3, alpha Keto Acid and H2O2. This is a reduction of O2 to H2O2.
What multiple roles does glutamine play?
- Very good at trapping excess NH3 keeping it from dangerous circulation.
- Provides the nitrogen for many biosynthetic reactions.
- Functions as a nitrogen shuttle between organs.