Heme Biosynthesis Flashcards
Formed by linking 4 pyrole rings
Heme
What are the three types of side chains that can be attached to the pyrrole ring?
-arangment of side chains is important to activity
Methyl, vinyl, or propionate
What are the major components of Heme?
- ) 4-linked pyrrole
- ) 3 types of side chain
- ) Prosthetic group for proteins (tightly-bound cofactor)
- ) Chelated Fe2+
Heme produced in the liver is used mainly for the synthesis of the
cytochrome P450 class of enzymes
Responsible for phase I liver detoxification and for detoxifying xenobiotic sources of toxicity, chemicals, acohols, and carcinogens
Liver Cytochrome P450
When liver Cytochrome P450 detoxifies xenobiotic sources of toxicity, chemicals, acohols, and carcinogens, what does it convert them into?
Water and Oxygen
What is responsible for bilirubin metabolism, synthesis of vitamin D, cholesterol synthesis, and synthesis of bile and bile acids?
Liver Cytochrome P450
What are the porhpyrin precursors and what are their characteristics?
Aminolevulinate(ALA) and Porphobilinogen (PBG)
- water soluble
- excreted and measured in urine
- biologically inactive
Larger molecules whose aqueous solubility varies in part based on the number of carboxylic acid side chains in the molecule
Porphyrinogens
Are porphyrinogens biologically active?
Yes
Excreted in urine
Uroporphryinogen
Much less water soluble than uroporphyrinogen and is excreted in the feces as well as in urine
Coproporphyrinogen
Excreted and measured in feces
Stercoporphyrinogen
Molecules detected and measured in clinical laboratories
-Oxidized
Porphyrins
The oxidation of porphyrins creates an extended conjugation system that allows the molecules to
Absorb visible light
Oxidation of porphyrins in the cell is dangerous because the release of the absorbed light produces
Reactive oxygen species
Heme biosynthesis takes place in the
Cytoplasm and mitochondria
How many enzymes catalyze heme biosynthesis?
8
The first and last two steps of heme biosynthesis take place in the
Mitochondria
What have the highest rates of heme biosynthesis?
Bone marrow erythroid cells and the liver
85% of heme is synthesized in
Bone marrow erythroid cells
85% of heme is synthesized in bone marrow erythroid cells because
Mature RBC’s lack mitochondria, thus heme synthesis stops upon maturity
Mitochondira are progressively lost throughout erythroid maturation through
Autophagy
What is the committed step of heme biosynthesis?
Step 1:
Succinyl CoA + Glycine —> delta ALA
The committed step of Heme biosynthesis is catalyzed by?
ALA synthase (ALAS 1 (liver) and ALAS 2 (erythroid cells))
What happens in the first step of Heme biosynthesis?
- Committed step
- Highly regulated
δ-ALA is formed in the mitochondria and transported to the cytoplasm
In the second step of Heme biosynthesis, 2 molecules of ALA condense to form
Porphobilinogen (PBG)
The second step of heme biosynthesis is catalyzed by
-Zinc containing enzyme
ALA dehydratase (PBG synthase)
ALA dehydratase is inhibited by?
Lead
The first precursor to pyrrole is synthesized in the
2nd step
In the third step of heme biosynthesis, 4 molecules of PBG are joined into an extended linear tetrapyrrole (hydroxymethylbilane). This reaction is catalyzed by?
PBG deaminase
Once synthesized, hydroxymethylbilane has what two main fates?
- ) Converted to Uroporphyrinogen III (URO III Synthase) then to Coproporphyrinogen III (URO III decarboxylase)
- ) At high concentrations, a spontaneous reaction occurs converting it to URO 1 and then COPRO 1
Catalyzes an intramolecular rearrangement and ring closure
URO III synthase
Following a series of decarboxylation and oxidation reactions, Coproporphyrinogen III is converted into
Protoporphyrin IX
Protoporphyrin IX is converted into Heme by
Ferrochelatase
A mitochondrial enzyme that adds an Fe2+ to protoporphyrin IX to form Heme
Ferrochelatase
Ferrochelatase is inhibited by
Lead
What are the three porphyrins generated in heme biosynthesis (and where are they excreted)
- ) Uroporphyrin (urine)
- ) Coproporphyrin (Urine and bile)
- ) Protoporphyrin (Bile)
Water solubility decreases due to decarboxylation steps as the pathway progresses towards heme. Thus excretion progresses from
Urine (uroporphyrin: 8 carboxylates) to bile (protoporphyrin: 2 carboxylates)
What are the three mechanisms of regulation of ALAS 1 (the committed step enzyme) in the liver?
- ) Allosteric feedback
- ) Inhibition of newly synthesized ALAS from cytosol to mitochondria
- ) Repression of transcription of ALAS
What provides allosteric feedback to regulate ALAS 1 in the liver?
Heme, Hemin, and hematin
*pharmologically by stable forms of heme
What inhibits the newly synthesized ALAS protein transport from cytosol to mitochondria?
Heme
What represses the transcription of ALAS?
Heme, Glucose, and Insulin
What serves as an activator to induce ALAS-1 transcription?
-a coactivator of nuclear receptors and transcription factors
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ƴ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α )