Health / Medical Topics

    Catabolic Pathway for Asparagine and Aspartate

    Aspartate and asparagine are catabolized into oxaloacetate and the Kreb's cycle in a fairly direct pathway for amino acids with four carbons. The first step for asparagine catabolism is hydrolysis by the enzyme asparaginase, releasing aspartate and ammonia. Aspartate is then transaminated by aspartate transaminase to exchange its amino group onto alpha-ketoglutarate and be converted into oxaloacetate. As part of the Kreb's cycle, the carbon skeleton of oxaloacetate can generate energy and provide material for biosynthesis. The enzyme asparaginase is used as a cancer treatment through injection. Some cancers such as leukemias are highly dependent on asparagine circulating in the blood that comes from the diet. The required asparagine helps to support the rapid growth of malignant cells. Injection of asparaginase metabolizes the asparagine in the blood, withdrawing the supply of this essential nutrient from tumor cells, and causing asparagine-dependent tumor cells to die. Normal cells provide enough asparagine for their own needs through biosynthesis and are affected to a lesser extent by this treatment. (NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)




    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

    A bacterial infection caused by Bartonella henselae. It is transmitted to humans from a scratch, bite, or lick from a cat. A…
    A rare genetic syndrome caused by abnormalities of chromosome 22. It is characterized by anal atresia with fistula formation, coloboma of the…
    A monoclonal antibody linked to a toxic substance. It is being studied in the treatment of some types of B-cell cancer. CAT-8015…
    Human CAT allele is located at 11p13 and is approximately 33 kb in length. This gene, which encodes catalase protein, is involved…
    Cat scratch disease (CSD) is an illness caused by the bacterium Bartonella henselae. Almost half of all cats carry the infection at…
    A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles. The pictures are created by a computer linked…

    © 1991-2023 The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin | Titi Tudorancea® is a Registered Trademark | Terms of use and privacy policy
    Contact