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CENTRAL CARBON → AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS → INDIVIDUAL PATHWAY

Tyrosine biosynthesis

Follow the carbon skeleton from Chorismate to L-Tyrosine.

What it needs

Chorismate, oxidized nicotinamide cofactor and an amino-group donor.

What it supplies

L-Tyrosine. 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.

Tyrosine biosynthesisChorismate to Prephenate via Chorismate mutase; Prephenate to 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate via Prephenate dehydrogenase; 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate to L-Tyrosine via Aromatic amino-acid aminotransferaseChorismate1. Chorismate mutaseRead reaction 1Prephenate2. Prephenate dehydrogenaseNAD⁺ → NADH; CO₂ releasedRead reaction 24-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate3. Aromatic amino-acid aminotransferaseGlutamate → 2-oxoglutarate; PLP-dependentRead reaction 3L-Tyrosine

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Reactions and enzymes

1 · Chorismate mutase

Chorismate → Prephenate

Chorismate mutase · EC 5.4.99.5

2 · Prephenate dehydrogenase

Prephenate → 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate

Prephenate dehydrogenase · EC 1.3.1.12

Inputs, helpers or coproducts: NAD⁺ → NADH; CO₂ released

NADP-dependent variants also occur.

3 · Aromatic amino-acid aminotransferase

4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate → L-Tyrosine

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 hydroxyphenylpyruvate route is one alternative; arogenate routes occur elsewhere. 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 →