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PYRIMIDINE SYNTHESIS
 Cytosine
 Thymine
 Uracil
 The pyrimidine ring is synthesized as free
pyrimidine & it is incorporated into the
nucleotide.
 Aspartate, glutamine (amide group) & CO2
contribute to atoms in the formation of
pyrimidine ring.
 The reaction occurs in cytoplasm.
 Glutamine transfers its amido nitrogen to
CO2 to produce carbamoyl phosphate.
 This reaction is catalyzed by ATP dependent
enzyme carbamoyl phosphate synthetase II
(CPS II).
 CPS-I is involved in urea cycle.
 Carbamoyl phosphate condenses with
aspartate to form carbamoyl aspartate.
 This reaction is catalysed by aspartate
transcarbamoylase.
 The atoms C2 & N3 are derived from
carbamoyl phosphate & the rest are from
aspartate.
 Dihydroorotase catalyses the pyrimidine
ring closure with a loss of H2O.
 Step 4: Oxidation
 NAD+ dependent dehydrogenation, leading
to the formation of orotate.
 The enzyme is dihydro orotate
dehydrogenase (DHODH).
 Ribose 5-phosphate is now added to orotate
to produce orotidine monophosphate (OMP).
 This reaction is catalysed by orotate
phosphoribosyltransferase.
 PRPP is the donor of ribose 5-phosphate.
 OMP undergoes decarboxylation to uridine
mono-phosphate (UMP).
 The enzyme is OMP decarboxylase (OMPDC).
 This is the first pyrimidine that is synthesized.
 6-aza-uridine inhibits this step & used as an
anticancer drug.
 Orotate phosphoribosyl transferase & OMP
decarboxylase are domains of a single
protein.
 A defect in this bifunctional enzyme causes
orotic aciduria.
 By an ATP-dependent UMP kinase reaction,
UMP is converted to UDP which serves as a
precursor for the synthesis of dUMP, dTMP,
UTP & CTP.
 UDP is phosphorylated to UTP (uridine
triphosphate) with the help of ATP.
 The enzyme is nucleoside diphosphate kinase.
 Ribonucleotide reductase converts UDP to
dUDP by a thioredoxin-dependent reaction.
 Thymidylate synthetase catalyses the
transfer of a methyl group from N5, N10 -
methylene tetrahydrofolate to produce
deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP).
 Cytidine triphosphate (CTP) is synthesized
from UTP by amination.
 CTP synthetase is the enzyme & glutamine
provides the nitrogen.
 CTP synthetase needs ATP.
PYRIMIDINE SYNTHESIS
PYRIMIDINE SYNTHESIS
UDP
dUDP
dUMP
dTMP
UTP
CTP
UMP
ATP
ADP UMP Kinase
Thioredoxin (2SH)
Thioredoxin (-S-S-)
Ribonucleotide
reductase
N5, N10
Methylene
THF
THF
Glutamine + ATP + H2O
Glutamate + ADP + Pi
CTP
synthetase
Nucleoside
diphosphate Kinase
ATP
ADP
 In bacteria, aspartate transcarbamoylase
(ATCase) catalyses a committed step in
pyrimidine biosynthesis.
 ATCase is a good example of an enzyme
controlled by feedback mechanism by the
end product CTP.
 Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase II (CPS II) is
the regulatory enzyme of pyrimidine
synthesis in animals.
 It is activated by PRPP and ATP & inhibited
by UDP & UTP.
 OMP decarboxylase, inhibited by UMP &
CMP, also controls pyrimidine formation.
 Textbook of Biochemistry-U Satyanarayana
 Textbook of Biochemistry-DM Vasudevan
PYRIMIDINE SYNTHESIS

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PYRIMIDINE SYNTHESIS

  • 3.  The pyrimidine ring is synthesized as free pyrimidine & it is incorporated into the nucleotide.  Aspartate, glutamine (amide group) & CO2 contribute to atoms in the formation of pyrimidine ring.
  • 4.  The reaction occurs in cytoplasm.  Glutamine transfers its amido nitrogen to CO2 to produce carbamoyl phosphate.  This reaction is catalyzed by ATP dependent enzyme carbamoyl phosphate synthetase II (CPS II).  CPS-I is involved in urea cycle.
  • 5.  Carbamoyl phosphate condenses with aspartate to form carbamoyl aspartate.  This reaction is catalysed by aspartate transcarbamoylase.  The atoms C2 & N3 are derived from carbamoyl phosphate & the rest are from aspartate.
  • 6.  Dihydroorotase catalyses the pyrimidine ring closure with a loss of H2O.  Step 4: Oxidation  NAD+ dependent dehydrogenation, leading to the formation of orotate.  The enzyme is dihydro orotate dehydrogenase (DHODH).
  • 7.  Ribose 5-phosphate is now added to orotate to produce orotidine monophosphate (OMP).  This reaction is catalysed by orotate phosphoribosyltransferase.  PRPP is the donor of ribose 5-phosphate.
  • 8.  OMP undergoes decarboxylation to uridine mono-phosphate (UMP).  The enzyme is OMP decarboxylase (OMPDC).  This is the first pyrimidine that is synthesized.  6-aza-uridine inhibits this step & used as an anticancer drug.
  • 9.  Orotate phosphoribosyl transferase & OMP decarboxylase are domains of a single protein.  A defect in this bifunctional enzyme causes orotic aciduria.
  • 10.  By an ATP-dependent UMP kinase reaction, UMP is converted to UDP which serves as a precursor for the synthesis of dUMP, dTMP, UTP & CTP.  UDP is phosphorylated to UTP (uridine triphosphate) with the help of ATP.  The enzyme is nucleoside diphosphate kinase.
  • 11.  Ribonucleotide reductase converts UDP to dUDP by a thioredoxin-dependent reaction.  Thymidylate synthetase catalyses the transfer of a methyl group from N5, N10 - methylene tetrahydrofolate to produce deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP).
  • 12.  Cytidine triphosphate (CTP) is synthesized from UTP by amination.  CTP synthetase is the enzyme & glutamine provides the nitrogen.  CTP synthetase needs ATP.
  • 15. UDP dUDP dUMP dTMP UTP CTP UMP ATP ADP UMP Kinase Thioredoxin (2SH) Thioredoxin (-S-S-) Ribonucleotide reductase N5, N10 Methylene THF THF Glutamine + ATP + H2O Glutamate + ADP + Pi CTP synthetase Nucleoside diphosphate Kinase ATP ADP
  • 16.  In bacteria, aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) catalyses a committed step in pyrimidine biosynthesis.  ATCase is a good example of an enzyme controlled by feedback mechanism by the end product CTP.
  • 17.  Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase II (CPS II) is the regulatory enzyme of pyrimidine synthesis in animals.  It is activated by PRPP and ATP & inhibited by UDP & UTP.  OMP decarboxylase, inhibited by UMP & CMP, also controls pyrimidine formation.
  • 18.  Textbook of Biochemistry-U Satyanarayana  Textbook of Biochemistry-DM Vasudevan