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CENTRAL CARBON → SHARED AROMATIC PRECURSOR → INDIVIDUAL PATHWAY

Shikimate pathway

Follow the carbon skeleton from Phosphoenolpyruvate + erythrose-4-phosphate to Chorismate.

What it needs

PEP, erythrose-4-phosphate, ATP, reducing power and working enzymes.

What it supplies

Chorismate. 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.

Shikimate pathwayPhosphoenolpyruvate + erythrose-4-phosphate to DAHP via DAHP synthase; DAHP to 3-Dehydroquinate via 3-Dehydroquinate synthase; 3-Dehydroquinate to 3-Dehydroshikimate via 3-Dehydroquinate dehydratase; 3-Dehydroshikimate to Shikimate via Shikimate dehydrogenase; Shikimate to Shikimate-3-phosphate via Shikimate kinase; Shikimate-3-phosphate to 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate via EPSP synthase; 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate to Chorismate via Chorismate synthasePhosphoenolpyruvate + erythrose-4-phosphate1. DAHP synthaseRead reaction 1DAHP2. 3-Dehydroquinate synthaseRead reaction 23-Dehydroquinate3. 3-Dehydroquinate dehydrataseRead reaction 33-Dehydroshikimate4. Shikimate dehydrogenaseNADPH → NADP⁺Read reaction 4Shikimate5. Shikimate kinaseATP → ADPRead reaction 5Shikimate-3-phosphate6. EPSP synthaseAdditional phosphoenolpyruvateRead reaction 65-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate7. Chorismate synthaseReduced FMN participates in catalysisRead reaction 7Chorismate

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Reactions and enzymes

1 · DAHP synthase

Phosphoenolpyruvate + erythrose-4-phosphate → DAHP

DAHP synthase · EC 2.5.1.54

2 · 3-Dehydroquinate synthase

DAHP → 3-Dehydroquinate

3-Dehydroquinate synthase · EC 4.2.3.4

3 · 3-Dehydroquinate dehydratase

3-Dehydroquinate → 3-Dehydroshikimate

3-Dehydroquinate dehydratase · EC 4.2.1.10

4 · Shikimate dehydrogenase

3-Dehydroshikimate → Shikimate

Shikimate dehydrogenase · EC 1.1.1.25

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: NADPH → NADP⁺

5 · Shikimate kinase

Shikimate → Shikimate-3-phosphate

Shikimate kinase · EC 2.7.1.71

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: ATP → ADP

6 · EPSP synthase

Shikimate-3-phosphate → 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate

EPSP synthase · EC 2.5.1.19

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: Additional phosphoenolpyruvate

7 · Chorismate synthase

5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate → Chorismate

Chorismate synthase · EC 4.2.3.5

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: Reduced FMN participates in catalysis

Connected pathways

Phenylalanine biosynthesisTyrosine biosynthesisTryptophan biosynthesis

Evidence and scope

Chorismate is a branch point, not an amino acid. Phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan have separate downstream routes. 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 →