Gluconeogensis Flashcards
What is gluconeogenesis and where does it occur?
Gluconeogenesis is the process of making glucose from pyruvate
Most of the steps of glycolysis are retained
The regulated steps are changed for spontaneous reactions in the direction of sugar synthesis
Occurs mainly in the mitochondria of liver and kidney cells
Which glycolysis steps must be bypassed (and why) in order for gluconeogenesis to proceed?
Hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, and pyruvate kinase must be bypassed because of their large delta G
These reactions are essentially irreversible
What is pyruvate converted into and where does this conversion take place?
Pyruvate is converted to oxaloacetate in the mitochondria.
Pyruvate carboxylase is the enzyme responsible for this.
ADP + Pi + 2 H+ are also generated
What is the prosthetic group that is used by pyruvate carboxylase?
Biotin is the prosthetic group that is used by pyruvate carboxylase.
How is pyruvate carboxylated?
1) HCO3- is activated to carboxyphosphate
2) Activated CO2 is bonded to the biotin ring to form the carboxybiotin enzyme intermediate
CO2 - biotin - enzyme + H+ —> CO2 + biotin - enzyme
delta Go’ is -20 kj/mol-1
This large - delta Go’ indicates that carboxybiotin is able to transfer CO2 to acceptors
Where does the conversion of oxaloacetate to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) occur and what enzyme is responsible?
The conversion of oxaloacetate to PEP occurs in the cytosol
PEP carboxykinase is responsible
GTP is used in this step and it comes from the TCA
Picture: Oxaloacetate is made in cytosol.
Schematic of gluconeogensis.
Gluconeogensis pathway.
How are carboxylation and decarboxylation steps in gluconeogenesis powered?
The addition of a phosphoryl group to pyruvate is energetically unfavorable as is the formation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)
ATP is used to power the addition of CO2 to pyruvate
The decarboxylation of pyruvate is used to power the formation of PEP
What is the purpose of gluconeogenesis?
The purpose is to form glucose from non-glucose precursors.
It occurs in the liver and kidney
The reactions take place in the cytosol of the cell
This is an anabolic process
What is the first reaction of gluconeogenesis?
Pyruvate to oxaloacetate
Takes place in mitochondria
Purpose: Add carbon to pyruvate in an ATP-dependent manner
Enzyme: Ligase (Carboxylase)
Biochemical process: Carboxylation
Free energy change: Large; this reaction is irreversible
NOTE: This is the first of four gluconeogenesis reactions that differ from the reverse glycolysis steps
What is the 2nd reaction of gluconeogensis?
Oxaloacetate to Phosphoenolpyruvate
Purpose: Remove a carbon and add a phosphate to oxaloacetate in a GTP-dependent manner
Enzyme: Lyase (Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase)
Biochemical process: Decarboxylation and phosphorylation
delta G: - 31.8 kj/mol
This reaction is spontaneous and non-reversible
This is the 2nd of four reactions in gluconeogenesis that differ from reverse glycolysis steps
What is the 3rd reaction of gluconeogenesis?
Phosphoenolpyruvate to 2-Phosphoglycerate
Purpose: Add water to phosphoenolpyruvate
Enzyme: Lyase (Enolase or 2-phosphoglycerate dehydratase)
Biochemical process: Hydration
delta Go’ : -1.8 kj/mol
delta G: + 1.1 kj/mol
This reaction is spontaneous and reversible
What is the 4th reaction of gluconeogenesis?
2-Phosphoglycerate to 3-Phosphoglycerate
Purpose: Reshuffle the phosphate group
Enzyme: Isomerase (Phosphoglycerate mutase)
Biochemical process: Isomerisation
delta Go’ : - 4.4 kj/mol
delta G: - 0.8 kj/mol
This reaction is spontaneous and reversible