Amino acid

catabolism I

Dr. Mohammad Akram

1
 Catabolism?

is the set of metabolic pathways that break

down molecules into smaller units and
release energy.

2
 General Catabolic Process
In catabolism, large molecules such as
polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids
and proteins are broken down into
smaller units such as monosaccharides,
fatty acids, nucleotides and amino acids
, respectively. As molecules such as
polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic
acids are made from long chains of
these small monomer.
3
 Catabolism Process (example)
Protein

Amino acid

Acetyl-CoA (acetyl coenzyme A)

Citric acid cycle

4
 20 Amino acids
1. alanine 1. leucine
2. arginine
2. lysine
3. asparagine
4. aspartic acid 3. Methionine
5. cysteine 4. phenylalanine
6. glutamine
5. proline
7. glutamic acid
8. glycine 6. serine
9. histidine 7. threonine
10. isoleucine 8. tryptophan
9. tyrosine
10. valine

5
 Amino Acid Requirements of Humans
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Nutritionally Essential Nutritionally Nonessential
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Argininea Alanine
Histidine Asparagine
Isoleucine Aspartate
Leucine Cysteine
Lysine Glutamate
Methionine Glutamine
Phenylalanine Glycine
Threonine Proline
Tryptophan Serine
Valine Tyrosine
---------------------------------------------------------------------
a “
Nutritionally semiessential.” Synthesized at rates
inadequate to support growth of children.

6
 Amino acid catabolism

The carbon frames of amino acids are broken

down into metabolites that can either be
oxidized into CO2 and H2O to generate ATP
(Adenosine-triphosphate) , or can be used
for gluconeogenesis. The catabolism of
amino acids accounts for 10 to 15% of the
human body’s energy production.

7
8
 Amino acid catabolism cont.
Each of the 20 amino acids has a
separate catabolic pathway, yet all 20
pathways converge into 5
intermediates, all of which can enter the
citric acid cycle. From the citric acid
cycle the carbon can be completely
oxidized into CO2.

9
 Citric acid cycle
The citric acid cycle — also known as
the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle),
the Krebs cycle, is a series of enzyme-
catalysed chemical reactions, which is of
central importance in all living cells. The
citric acid cycle occurs in the matrix of the
mitochondrion.

10
Nonessential Amino acids

11
 Alanine Catabolism
Alanine is important in inter-tissue nitrogen
transport as part of the glucose-alanine
cycle. Alanine's catabolic pathway reaction
produces pyruvate. Generally pyruvate
produced by this pathway will result in the
formation of oxaloacetate reacts with
Acetyl CoA to form citrate. Although when
the energy charge of a cell is low the
pyruvate will be oxidized to CO2 and H2O.
12
 Ornithine

Ornithine, in excess of urea cycle needs, is

transaminated to form glutamate (Transamination of
α-ketoglutarate gives glutamate) semialdehyde.
Glutamate semialdehyde can serve as the
precursor for proline biosynthesis or it can be
converted to glutamate.
(Many semialdehyde's are intermediates in the
biosynthesis and metabolic degradation of
amino acids)

13
 Proline
Proline catabolism is a reversal of its
synthesis process.
The glutamate semialdehyde generated
from ornithine and proline catabolism is
oxidized to glutamate by an ATP-
independent glutamate semialdehyde
dehydrogenase. The glutamate can then
be converted to α-ketoglutarate in a
transamination reaction.

14
15
 Serine Catabolism

The conversion of serine to glycine and

then glycine oxidation to CO2 and NH3.
Serine can be catabolized back to the
glycolytic intermediate, 3-
phosphoglycerate, by a pathway that is
essentially a reversal of serine
biosynthesis.

16
 Glycine Catabolism
Glycine is classified as a glucogenic amino
acid, since it can be converted to serine by
serine hydroxymethyl transferase and serine
can be converted back to the glycolytic
intermediate, 3 phosphoglycerate or to
pyruvate by serine/threonine dehydratase.
Nevertheless, the main glycine catabolic
pathway leads to the production of CO2 and
ammonia.

17
 Phenylalanine and Tyrosine
catabolism

Will be discussed in a separate session

18
Thank you for your attention

19