Last edited: 9/9/2021

1. THE METABOLIC MAP: PROTEINS

Metabolism | The Metabolic Map: Proteins Medical Editor: Uta Hüning

OUTLINE II) TRANSAMINATION

I) PROTEINS Keto acid (KA), Amino acid (AA)
II) TRANSAMINATION Keto acids are Krebs cycle intermediates
III) OXYDATIVE DEAMINATION Action: KA + AA → AA + KA
IV) UREA CYCLE o Exchange keto and amino group
V) CORI CYCLE o Generate new AA and new KA
VI) GLUCONEOGENESIS
o By transaminase
VII) APPENDIX
VIII) REVIEW QUESTIONS

I) PROTEINS
KA which is often used: α-KG
Intake by diet
AA which is often generated: glutamate
Structure
o Have amino end + carboxyl end KA which is often generated: pyruvate, OAA, α-KG

Figure 1: Structure of a protein

o Polymers of AA
 AA Structure
• Amino group
• Carboxyl group
• Alpha-carbon with attached H
• R group (different in each AA)

Figure 4: Transamination turning KA + AA into AA + KA

III) OXYDATIVE DEAMINATION

Figure 2: Structure an amino acid
Location: liver (mainly), muscles (minorly)
Function:
Glutamate → α-KG + NH3 (ammonia - toxic)
o Structural function
By: glutamate DH
o Energy source – But only when no carbohydrates
and FA available (long starvation)
Proteolysis
o Breakdown of proteins into AA
o Commonly used AA: alanine, aspartate, glutamate
Why is this not a transamination? Because the amino
group is not transferred to any molecule.

Figure 3: Proteolysis converts proteins into amino acids

Figure 5: Oxidative deamination turning glutamate into α-KG +

NH3 (ammonia)

THE METABOLIC MAP: PROTEINS METABOLISM: Note #1. 1 of 3

 IV) UREA CYCLE VI) GLUCONEOGENESIS
Location: liver Substrates
Action: ammonia (toxic) → urea (less toxic) o AA:
Urea excreted by kidneys as urine  By transamination or deamination form Krebs
cycle intermediates → OAA → PEP → Glucose
o Lactic acid
 Lactic acid → Pyruvate → Krebs cycle → OAA →
PEP → Glucose
o Glycerol
 Glycerol → DHAP → Glucose
o Odd-chain FA (minor contribution)

Figure 6: Ammonia is converted to urea by Urea cycle

V) CORI CYCLE
Muscles are producing lactic acid
Figure 8: Substrates for gluconeogenesis

Figure 7: Lactate converted into pyruvate via Cori cycle

Figure 9: Connection of metabolic pathways of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins

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 VII) APPENDIX

Figure 10: Overview Metabolic Map - carbohydrates, lipids, proteins

VIII) REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) By which process are keto acids and amino acids
exchanging their functional group?
a) Oxidative deamination
b) Gluconeogenesis
c) Urea cycle
d) Transamination
2) Where does oxidative deamination mainly occur?
What are its substrate and product?
a) Liver, glutamate, NH3 + α-KG
b) Muscle, glutamine, NH2 + α-KG
c) Liver, glutamate, NH3
d) Muscle, ammonia, urea
3) Which of the following is NOT a substrate for
gluconeogenesis?
a) OAA
b) Urea
c) AA
d) Glycerol
4) Which keto acid is commonly a donor of a keto
group for transamination?
a) Pyruvate
b) OAA
c) α-KG
d) Acetoacetate
5) Which AA is often generated during transamination?
a) Glutamate
b) Glutamine
c) Aspartate
d) Ornithine

CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

THE METABOLIC MAP: PROTEINS METABOLISM: Note #1. 3 of 3