Part A: Write the balanced reaction catalyzed by phophoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PPC). Remember to add any cofactors, and to draw the structure formulas (a line-bond representation is fine) for the main substrate and product of the reaction. Hint: For this one, look on Wikipedia to get all the cofactors. The PPC in the Wikipedia article takes PEP and makes it into oxaloacetate without the use of a ribonucleotide at all. So, just have Pi as a product. Part B: Draw a diagram (flow chart) that describes how E. coli obtains oxaloacetate via the glyoxylate cycle when acetate (in the form of acetyl-CoA), not glucose, is provided as a food source. Note in the circle, the bit of the glyoxylate cycle which makes acetyl-CoA into oxaloacetate in the fewest number of steps.  Part C: What does oxaloacetate lead to in the gluconeogenesis pathway?

Biochemistry
9th Edition
ISBN:9781319114671
Author:Lubert Stryer, Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko, Gregory J. Gatto Jr.
Publisher:Lubert Stryer, Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko, Gregory J. Gatto Jr.
Chapter1: Biochemistry: An Evolving Science
Section: Chapter Questions
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The enzyme pyruvate carboxylase is discovered in a bacterium that was thought not to contain it; in this case study, you'll see how researchers study and characterize the enzyme, and, ultimately, show how it fits into a metabolic pathw As one of the reactants in the first reaction of the citric acid cycle, oxaloacetate is an important cellular metabolite. The concentrations of oxaloacetate are tightly regulated. Different organisms employ different mechanisms to obtain oxaloacetate. In mammals and yeast, oxaloacetate is the product of the pyruvate carboxylase (PYC) reaction. In E. coli, the enzyme phophoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PPC) provides oxaloacetate from phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) obtained from glucose oxidation in the glycolytic pathway. If glucose is absent and E. coli is using acetate as a carbon source, the glyoxylate pathway serves to generate the needed oxaloacetate. Usually, an organism will employ PPC or PYC, but not both. Detectable levels of PYC in the methanogenic bacterium Methanobacterium thermautotrophicum had previously not been found, and since PPC had been detected, it was believed that M. thermautotrophicum did not possess PYC. However, in the case described here, microbiologists found that if they added biotin to cultures of the methanogenic bacterium, pyruvate carboxylase activity could be detected. This was a surprising finding, especially since it is known that the methanogen can synthesize its own biotin. However, having identified the presence of the PYC enzyme, the investigators set out to isolate, purify and characterize the enzyme. Purification of the PYC was rather straightforward since the enzyme is soluble and hydrophilic. In addition, the investigators were able to make use of the protein avidin, which binds to biotin with high affinity and specificity. 

Part A: Write the balanced reaction catalyzed by phophoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PPC). Remember to add any cofactors, and to draw the structure formulas (a line-bond representation is fine) for the main substrate and product of the reaction. Hint: For this one, look on Wikipedia to get all the cofactors. The PPC in the Wikipedia article takes PEP and makes it into oxaloacetate without the use of a ribonucleotide at all. So, just have Pi as a product.

Part B: Draw a diagram (flow chart) that describes how E. coli obtains oxaloacetate via the glyoxylate cycle when acetate (in the form of acetyl-CoA), not glucose, is provided as a food source. Note in the circle, the bit of the glyoxylate cycle which makes acetyl-CoA into oxaloacetate in the fewest number of steps. 

Part C: What does oxaloacetate lead to in the gluconeogenesis pathway?

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