Nitrogen Cycle
Summary of Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism
Transamination Common acceptors: -ketoglutarate (glutamate) pyruvate (alanine); oxaloacetate (aspartate) Important transaminases: Aspartate transaminase (AST) (also called glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase, GOT) High activity in heart; tool for diagnosis of heart damage (transaminase) Alanine transaminase (ALT) (also called glutamate-pyruvate transaminase, GPT) High activity in liver; tool for diagnosis of liver damage
Oxidative Deamination
Alanine – Glucose Cycle
Urea Cycle
The Urea Cycle glutamine (from extrahepatic tissues) ornithine carbamoyl phosphate H 2 N C OPO 3 2– O alanine ( from muscle) -ketoglutarate pyruvate glutamate glutamine glutamate NH 4 + oxaloacetate aspartate -ketoglutarate aspartate 2 ATP 2 ADP + P i HCO 3 – citrulline PiPi arginosuccinate 2P i ATP AMP fumarate arginine urea H 2 N C NH 2 O ornithine H2OH2O malate NADH NAD + -ketoglutarate mitochondrial matrix cytosol malate H2OH2O
Fate of Carbon Atoms from Amino Acids Tryptophan glucogenic amino acids ketogenic amino acids
Biosynthesis of Nonessential Amino Acids Methionine (essential amino acid)
Amino Acids as Precursors of Other Nitrogeneous Compounds Amino Acid Product(s) GlycineHeme, Purines TyrosineThyroid Hormones Epinephrine Dopamine Melanin HistidineHistamine SeratoninTryptophan AspartatePurines, Pyrimidines GABA (gamma-aminobutyrate) Glutamate