Metabolism: Purines and Pyrimidines Flashcards
What is the precursor for purine biosynthesis? What is its origin?
ribose-5-phosphate
PPP
What are the first 2 steps in purine synthesis?
- R5P => PRPP (PP comes from ATP)
2. => 5-phosphoribosylamine via glutamine PRPP amidotransferase (amino group added to PRPP comes from glutamine)
What is the first committed and major regulated step of purine biosynthesis?
PRPP + glutamine amino group => 5-phosphoribosylamine
What is the end-product of purine biosynthesis?
IMP (inosinic acid) => AMP, GMP
Where does the skeleton for purine biosynthesis originate?
3 AAs - asp, glutamine, gly
THF derivatives
CO2
What is the intermediate of the IMP => AMP reaction?
adenylosuccinic acid
What is the intermediate of the IMP => GMP reaction?
xanthylic acid (XMP)
List activators of the PRPP => 5-phosphoribosylamine reaction.
PRPP
List inhibitors of the PRPP => 5-phosphoribosylamine reaction.
IMP
AMP
GMP
List regulators of the IMP => AMP rxn.
AMP = inhibition
List regulators of the IMP => GMP rxn.
GMP = inhibition
What is the difference between purine synthesis in normal cells vs. tumor cells? Why is this important in combatting tumors.
in normal cells, most purines are just recycled and reused.
in tumor cells, de novo biosynthesis is promoted.
Thus, agents that prevent de novo purine synthesis will affect tumor cells more selectively than normal cells.
Describe the mechanism of 6-mercaptopurine.
- used to treat acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and other cancers
- converted to a nucleotide
- inhibits purine biosynthetic enzymes (including glutamine PRPP amidotransferase)
Describe the first step in pyrimidine synthesis.
glutamine + CO2 + ATP => glutamate + carbamoyl phosphate
via: carbamoyl phosphate synthetase II (recall: urea cycle)
What is different about the synthesis of purines vs pyrimidines?
purines = ribose-5-phosphate is already formed…add on purine base one carbon at a time
pyrimidines = base is formed first and then PRPP is added to the base as an activated form of R5P
What is the end product of pyrimidine synthesis?
UMP => UTP, CTP, TTP
Describe the function of leflunomide.
- immunosuppressant used to treat rheumatoid arthritis
- blocks pyrimidine biosynthesis
- works by blocking dihydroorotate dehydrogenase
What is the function of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase?
takes NAD => NADH
L-hydroorotic acid => orotic acid