In this article we will discuss about the two main types of general reactions in amino acids, i.e, enzymatic reactions using pyridoxal phosphate as the co-enzyme and deamination. 1. Enzymatic Reactions using Pyridoxal Phosphate as the Co-Enzyme: A number of reactions involving amino acids, like transamination, decarboxylation, elimination of the side chain with maintenance of the α-amino-car- boxylic group (e.g., [...]
In this article we will discuss about the metabolism of sulphur-containing amino acids. There are 3 sulphur-containing amino acids, methionine, cysteine and cystine, but since the last two are very easily interconvertible by oxidation-reduction, they may be taken as one. Methionine is an essential amino acid — for rat as well as man - while cysteine is not. However, when [...]
Some amino acids have been produced in Japan by bacterial fermentation since 1950. Their biosynthesis is now possible by genetically manipulating and physiologically altering the microorganism. Corynebacterium glutamicum and Brevibacterium flavum are involved in the synthesis of L-lysine and L-threonine from a common intermediate, aspartic acid. The regulatory mutants of bacteria produce lysine in sufficient amount. Such bacteria eliminate the [...]