Metabolism on-line - the virtual tutorial room

 

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Amino acid and nitrogen metabolism

This set of exercises introduces the main pathways in the metabolism of amino acids and the estimation of protein and amino acid requirements.

The following exercises are available in this section:

Why does an adult require so much protein in the diet? (Nitrogen balance, protein turnover and protein and amino acid requirements)

Transamination and deamination of amino acids (Reactions involved in the deamination and transamination of amino acids)

Urea synthesis in the liver, and potentially fatal hyperammonaemia in a child (Urea synthesis in the liver)

An unconscious child with hyperammonaemia and keto-acidosis (Propionic acidaemia, keto-acidosis and hyperammonaemia)

Gout and hyperuricaemia - and anti-cancer drugs (Purine synthesis, catabolism and salvage; gout and Lesch-Nyhan disease)

A severe sunburn-like rash and unusual urinary metabolites (Pellagra, tryptophan metabolism and Hartnup disease)

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Objectives

After working through these exercises you should be able to:

Explain how protein and amino acid requirements are determined, and what is meant by essential and non-essential amino acids

Describe the reactions involved in the deamination and transamination of amino acids

Describe the pathway of urea synthesis in the liver and explain the treatment of hyperammonaemia due to argininosuccinic aciduria

Describe the metabolism of propionyl CoA and explain the importance of N-acetylglutamate in ammonia metabolism

Describe the pathways of purine synthesis, catabolism and salvage and their regulation

Describe the transport of amino acids and peptides, and describe in outline synthesis of NAD from tryptophan