CENTRAL CARBON → 2-OXOGLUTARATE FAMILY → INDIVIDUAL PATHWAY

Glutamate and nitrogen assimilation

Follow the carbon skeleton from L-Glutamate + ammonium + ATP to 2 L-Glutamate.

What it needs

2-Oxoglutarate, ammonium, ATP, reducing equivalents and a recyclable glutamate pool.

What it supplies

2 L-Glutamate. This product can enter downstream cellular reactions; its synthesis depends on the precursor and helper supplies shown.

The pathway

Read from top to bottom. Select an enzyme box to jump to its reaction. Cosubstrates and selected coproducts appear in the account below.

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Reactions and enzymes

1 · Glutamine synthetase

L-Glutamate + ammonium + ATP → L-Glutamine

Glutamine synthetase · EC 6.3.1.2

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: ATP → ADP + phosphate

2 · Glutamate synthase (GOGAT)

L-Glutamine + 2-oxoglutarate → 2 L-Glutamate

Glutamate synthase (GOGAT)

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: NADPH or reduced ferredoxin supplies electrons, depending on enzyme

Connected pathways

Glutamine biosynthesis Proline biosynthesis Arginine biosynthesis Alanine from pyruvate Aspartate from oxaloacetate

Evidence and scope

The coupled GS–GOGAT route makes net glutamate from a carbon skeleton and inorganic nitrogen. Glutamate dehydrogenase provides an alternative in suitable organisms and conditions. This page explains selected documented biochemical reactions. It does not establish that every displayed enzyme occurs in Aquifex, that the pathway is universally essential, or that the book image records a complete organism. Gene symbols name common enzyme activities; organism-specific protein records require separate matching.

Original explanatory diagram and reaction account, based on the records below. Arrows show the biosynthetic reading direction; they do not claim that every reaction is irreversible. Selected protons, water and cofactors are omitted from the overview and are not implied absent.