Linked series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell
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In biochemistry, a metabolic pathway is a linked series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell. The reactants, products, and intermediates of an enzymatic reaction are known as metabolites, which are modified by a sequence of chemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes.[1]: 26 In most cases of a metabolic pathway, the product of one enzyme acts as the substrate for the next. However, side products are considered waste and removed from the cell.[2]
Different metabolic pathways function in the position within a eukaryotic cell and the significance of the pathway in the given compartment of the cell.[3] For instance, the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation all take place in the mitochondrial membrane.[4]: 73, 74 & 109 In contrast, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and fatty acid biosynthesis all occur in the cytosol of a cell.[5]: 441–442
There are two types of metabolic pathways that are characterized by their ability to either synthesize molecules with the utilization of energy (anabolic pathway), or break down complex molecules and release energy in the process (catabolic pathway).[6]
The two pathways complement each other in that the energy released from one is used up by the other. The degradative process of a catabolic pathway provides the energy required to conduct the biosynthesis of an anabolic pathway.[6] In addition to the two distinct metabolic pathways is the amphibolic pathway, which can be either catabolic or anabolic based on the need for or the availability of energy.[7]
Pathways are required for the maintenance of homeostasis within an organism and the flux of metabolites through a pathway is regulated depending on the needs of the cell and the availability of the substrate. The end product of a pathway may be used immediately, initiate another metabolic pathway or be stored for later use. The metabolism of a cell consists of an elaborate network of interconnected pathways that enable the synthesis and breakdown of molecules (anabolism and catabolism).
^Nelson DL, Cox MM (2008). Lehninger principles of biochemistry (5th ed.). New York: W.H. Freeman. ISBN 978-0-7167-7108-1.
^Alison S, Papachristodoulou DK, Despo K, Elliott WH, Elliott DC (2014). Biochemistry and molecular biology (Fifth ed.). Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-960949-9. OCLC 862091499.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Nicholson DE (March 1971). An Introduction to Metabolic Pathways by S. DAGLEY (Vol. 59, No. 2 ed.). Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. p. 266.
^Harvey RA (2011). Biochemistry (5th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Wolters Kluwer. ISBN 978-1-60831-412-6.
^Voet D, Voet JD, Pratt CW (2013). Fundamentals of Biochemistry: Life at the Molecular Level (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN 978-0470-54784-7.
^ abReece JB, Campbell NA (2011). Campbell Biology (9th ed.). Boston: Benjamin Cummings / Pearson. pp. 143. ISBN 978-0-321-55823-7.
^Berg JM, Tymoczko JL, Stryer L, Gatto GJ (2012). Biochemistry (7th ed.). New York: W.H. Freeman. p. 429. ISBN 978-1-4292-2936-4.
In biochemistry, a metabolicpathway is a linked series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell. The reactants, products, and intermediates of an...
consumes energy. The chemical reactions of metabolism are organized into metabolicpathways, in which one chemical is transformed through a series of steps into...
Glycolysis is the metabolicpathway that converts glucose (C6H12O6) into pyruvate and, in most organisms, occurs in the liquid part of cells (the cytosol)...
The mevalonate pathway, also known as the isoprenoid pathway or HMG-CoA reductase pathway is an essential metabolicpathway present in eukaryotes, archaea...
pentose phosphate pathway (also called the phosphogluconate pathway and the hexose monophosphate shunt and the HMP Shunt) is a metabolicpathway parallel to...
blocking the competing metabolicpathways, (3) heterologous gene expression, and (4) enzyme engineering. Since cells use these metabolic networks for their...
Metabolic network modelling, also known as metabolic network reconstruction or metabolicpathway analysis, allows for an in-depth insight into the molecular...
downregulate, and feedback regulate the process. Gluconeogenesis (GNG) is a metabolicpathway that results in the generation of glucose from certain non-carbohydrate...
Gluconeogenesis (GNG) is a metabolicpathway that results in the biosynthesis of glucose from certain non-carbohydrate carbon substrates. It is a ubiquitous...
pathway is a metabolicpathway leading to the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Metabolites involved in the kynurenine pathway include...
The shikimate pathway (shikimic acid pathway) is a seven-step metabolicpathway used by bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, some protozoans, and plants for...
segments of the citric acid cycle have been recognized. The name of this metabolicpathway is derived from the citric acid (a tricarboxylic acid, often called...
Plants have metabolicpathways which transforms some of them (primarily the oxygen compounds) into useful substances. All the metabolic wastes are excreted...
these networks comprise the chemical reactions of metabolism, the metabolicpathways, as well as the regulatory interactions that guide these reactions...
Anabolism (/əˈnæbəlɪzəm/) is the set of metabolicpathways that construct macromolecules like DNA or RNA from smaller units. These reactions require energy...
C3 carbon fixation is the most common of three metabolicpathways for carbon fixation in photosynthesis, the other two being C4 and CAM. This process converts...
Almost all metabolic processes in the cell need enzyme catalysis in order to occur at rates fast enough to sustain life.: 8.1 Metabolicpathways depend upon...
1961 to emphasise the dual metabolic role of such pathways. These pathways are considered to be central metabolicpathways which provide, from catabolic...
neurological, or developmental problems at all. PKU is an autosomal recessive metabolic genetic disorder. As an autosomal recessive disorder, two PKU alleles...
between the three enzymes. This enzyme participates in three different pathways: Citric acid cycle (KEGG link: MAP00020) Lysine degradation (KEGG link:...
in metabolicpathways or signaling networks, in which enzymes are usually involved to catalyze the reactions. For example, the tissue factor pathway in...