Biosynthesis of primary

metabolites

Biogenesis of primary
metabolites
Living plants: solar-powered
biochemical and biosynthetic
laboratory which manufactured both
primary and secondary metabolites
It comes from air, water, minerals
and sunlight
Primary metabolites: sugars, amino
acids and fatty acids for general
growth and physiological
development of plant

Cell metabolism
The process by which living cells process
nutrient molecules and maintain a living state
Two distinct divisions:
a. Anabolism, a cell uses energy and reducing
power to construct complex molecules an
perform other life functions such as creating
cellular structure
b. Catabolism , a cell break down complex
molecules to yield energy and reducing
power

Metabolic pathway
A series of chemical reactions
occuring within a cell, catalyzed by
enzymes, resulting in either the
formation of a metabolic product to
be used or stored by the cell, or the
initiation of another metabolic
pathway

Major metabolic pathways

Cellular respiration:
Glycolysis
Anaerobic respiration
Krebs cycle/ Citric acid cycle
Oxidative phosphorylation
Creation of energetic compounds from non-living matter:
Photosynthesis(plants, algae, cyanobacteria)
Chemosynthesis(some bacteria)
Other pathways occurring in (most or) all living organisms include:
Fatty acid oxidation(-oxidation)
Gluconeogenesis
HMG-CoA reductase pathway(isopreneprenylation)
Pentose phosphate pathway(hexose monophosphate)
Porphyrin synthesis(or hemesynthesis) pathway
Urea cycle

 Metabolites: Metabolites are the

intermediates and products of
metabolism
The term metabolite is usually restricted
to small molecules. A primary metabolite
is directly involved in the normal growth,
development, and reproduction.
A secondary metabolite is not directly
involved in those processes, but usually
has important ecological function.

Importance of photosynthesis in
formation of primary metabolites
Photosynthesis is the process where
plants convert sunlight into energy, then
store it as carbohydrates, sugars, such as
glucose.
Photosynthesis may be the most
important process in ecosystems, both
brings in energy needed within the
ecosystem, and produce oxygen (O2)
needed for cellular respiration, and the
production of more ATP.

Photosynthesis has three basic steps:

1. Energy is captured from the
sunlight.
2. Light energy is converted into
chemical energy in the form of ATP and
NADPH.
3. Chemical energy is used to power
the synthesis of organic molecules
(e.g. carbohydrates) from carbon
dioxide (CO2)

 Biosynthesis begins with

photosynthesis. Green plants and
other photosynthetic organisms use
the energy of absorbed visible light
to make organic compounds. These
organic compounds are the starting
point for all other biosynthetic
pathway.

Biosynthesis of Aromatic
Compounds

The Shikimic Acid Pathway

A key intermediate from carbohydrate
for the biosynthesis of C6-C3 units
(phenyl propane derivative)
Precursor for the biosynthesis of
aromatic amino acids and simple
benzoic acid
Also an intermediate in production of
tannins, flavones, coumarins, lignan
and lignin

The Shikimic Acid Pathway

The shikimic acid pathway converts simple
carbohydrate precursors derived from
glycolysis and the pentose phosphate
pathway to the aromatic amino acids.
Present in plants, fungi, and bacteria but is
not found in animals.
Animals have no way to synthesize the
three aromatic amino acidsphenylalanine,
tyrosine, and tryptophanwhich are
therefore essential nutrients in animal diets.

Biosynthesis of aromatic compounds via shikimic acid

Phosphoenolpyruvate
(PEP)

3-deoxy-D-arabinoheptulosonic acid 7phosphate

Quinin
e

 Found in plants
Contribute to the
astringency of foods
and beverages,
especially tea, coffee
and wines

3-enolpyruvyIshikimic
acid-3-phosphate
(EPSP)

Folic acid (vitamin

B9)

Conjugate with pteridine

Cinnamic acid
L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine, as
C6C3 building blocks, are precursors
for a wide range of natural products
Common natural cinnamic acids are
4-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic and
sinapic acids
Those can be found in plants in free
form

 in a range of esterified forms, e.g.

with quinic acid as in chlorogenic
acid (5-O-caffeoylquinic acid),
with glucose as in 1-O-

Lignans and lignin

The cinnamic acids also feature in the
pathways to other metabolites based on
C6C3 building blocks
The plant polymer lignin, a strengthening
material for the plant cell wall which acts as
a matrix for cellulose microfibrils
Coniferyl alcohol monomers can couple,
generating linkages as :guaiacylglycerol
coniferyl ether (-arylether linkage),
dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol
(phenylcoumaran linkage), pinoresinol
(resinol linkage)

lignan
Lignan: dimeric material of polymeric
material
Molecules in which the two
phenylpropane units are coupled at
the central carbon of the side-chain,
ex pinoresinol
Podophyllotoxin, natural lignans
having useful biological activity,
derived from coniferyl alcohol via the
dibenzylbutylrolactones

Podophyllotoxin
Non-alkaloid toxin lignan
extracted from the roots and rhizome of
Podophyllum species
Under the trade namesCondylox, a gel,
andWartec, a solution or cream, topical
treatment of external genital warts, caused by
some types of the human papillomavirus (HPV)
its synthetic derivates: purgative, vesicant,
antirheumatic, antiviral, and antitumor agents