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CENTRAL CARBON → AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS → INDIVIDUAL PATHWAY

Phenylalanine biosynthesis

Follow the carbon skeleton from Chorismate to L-Phenylalanine.

What it needs

Chorismate and an amino-group donor, usually glutamate.

What it supplies

L-Phenylalanine. 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.

Phenylalanine biosynthesisChorismate to Prephenate via Chorismate mutase; Prephenate to Phenylpyruvate via Prephenate dehydratase; Phenylpyruvate to L-Phenylalanine via Aromatic amino-acid aminotransferaseChorismate1. Chorismate mutaseRead reaction 1Prephenate2. Prephenate dehydrataseCO₂ and water releasedRead reaction 2Phenylpyruvate3. Aromatic amino-acid aminotransferaseGlutamate → 2-oxoglutarate; PLP-dependentRead reaction 3L-Phenylalanine

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Reactions and enzymes

1 · Chorismate mutase

Chorismate → Prephenate

Chorismate mutase · EC 5.4.99.5

2 · Prephenate dehydratase

Prephenate → Phenylpyruvate

Prephenate dehydratase · EC 4.2.1.51

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: CO₂ and water released

3 · Aromatic amino-acid aminotransferase

Phenylpyruvate → L-Phenylalanine

Aromatic amino-acid aminotransferase · EC 2.6.1.57

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: Glutamate → 2-oxoglutarate; PLP-dependent

Connected pathways

Evidence and scope

The illustrated phenylpyruvate route is one alternative. Other organisms use an arogenate route. 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.

Compare the related Aquifex annotation group →