Protein Metabolism Flashcards
What is the Haber-Bosch reaction?
chemical process that enables the formation of ammonia from nitrogen gas; N2 + 3H2 -> 2 NH3
What are the essential amino acids? Why?
arginine (good for growth), histidine, isoleucine, Leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine; carbon skeleton cannot be synthesized
Which amino acids are non-essential? Why?
alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine (sulfur from methionine), glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, tyrosine (from phenylalanine) carbon skeletons can be synthesized in the body
Why is it necessary sometimes to remove the nitrogen from amino acids?
utilization of amino acid carbon skeletons for energy; likewise biosynthesis of amino acids can occur by adding an amino group to the corresponding keto acid
What is transamination?
transfer of amino group from one amino acid to a keto acid in the liver to form an amino acid; pyridoxal phosphate serves as a coenzyme in these reactions, alpha ketoglutarate is often a recipient of the amino groups, forming glutamate; multiple aminotransferases exist and the amino groups are generally funneled to glutamate and aspartate
An increase in the presence of aminotransferases in the blood signify what?
sign of cellular damage; plasma levels of AST and ALT are elevated in all forms of liver disease
What is oxidative deamination?
amino group is removed from the molecule to form ammonia and the alpha keto acid; ammonia is also produced by other reactions in cells and in the gut; ammonia formed from these/other sources must be prevented from reaching high concentrations
Where is d-amino acid oxidase and what does it do?
found in cell walls of plants and microorganisms that are consumed in the diet, it is a FAD-dependent enzyme that removes amino group as ammonia, H2O2 released is degraded to H2O by catalase
How is glutamine synthesized?
glutamine synthetase catalyzes formation of glutamine from glutamate and ammonia; glutamine can go through the blood to the liver, providing non-toxic mechanism for transport of ammonia from peripheral tissues to the liver
What is the alanine cycle?
method for transport of ammonia from muscle to the liver
What is hyperammonenemia?
ammonia intoxication, elevated blood levels of ammonia, direct neurotoxic effect on CNS, may result in tremors, slurring of speech, somnolence, vomiting, cerebral edema, blurring of vision, coma and death
What is acquired hyperammonenemia?
may result from liver disease or damage, viral hepatitis, ischemia, hepatoxins or cirrhosis can result in decreased ability of the liver to metabolize ammonia to urea for excretion
What is hereditary hyperammonenemia?
can result from deficiencies in urea cycle enzymes, resulting in impairment of the ability of the liver to synthesize urea for excretion; should have protein in diet limited, administer phenylbutyrate will result in conversion to phenylacetate which will react with glutamine to form phenylacetylglutamine which is then excreted by the kidney
Where are the enzymes in the liver located that make urea? What donates the nitrogen that makes up the urea?
both mitochondrial and cytoplasmic, one nitrogen from aspartate and the other from ammonia and CO2 provides the carbon and oxygen atoms
What is BUN? what is it used for?
blood urea nitrogen levels; reduced in liver failure and elevated in renal failure, leading to uremia
What is the reaction for the urea cycle?
aspartate + NH3 + 3ATP -> Urea + fumarate + 2ADP + AMP + 2Pi + PPi + 3H2O
What activates carbamoyl phosphate Synthetase I?
N-acetylglutamate, formed from acetyl CoA and from glutamate by the action of N-acetylglutamate synthetase
What are the characteristics of N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency?
results in a decrease of N-acetylglutamate, leading to a reduction in CPS-1 activity
What is carbamoyl phosphate synthase I defect?
referred to type of hyperammonemia
What results from ornithine transporter defects?
results in hyperornithinemia, hyperammonemia, and homocistrulinemia
What are the characteristics of ornithine transcarbamoylase deficiency?
an x-linked disorder termed type II hyperammonemia; mothers of male children with this disorder will exhibit hyperammonemia and will avoid high protein foods
What results from arginosuccinate synthase deficiency?
citrullinemia in the blood and the urine
What results from arginosuccinate lyase deficiency?
elevated levels of arginosuccinate in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine
What is ketogenic amino acid degradation?
carbon backbones metabolized to acetyl CoA or acetoacetyl CoA; can give rise to ketone bodies; Leucine and lysine are ketogenic only
What is glucogenic amino acid degradation?
carbon backbones metabolized to pyruvate or TCA cycle intermediates; can be used as substrates for gluconeogenesis; alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamine, glutamate, glycine, histidine, proline, serine, methionine, threonine, and valine are glucogenic only