Lysine: biosynthesis, catabolism and roles

Abstract

Amino acids are an essential building block of all life and are commonly incorporated into extending polypeptide chains to produce proteins. Lysine is one such amino acid and is classified as basic and positively charged at physiological pH due to the presence of an additional amino chemical group on the side chain. Lysine has two main biosynthetic pathways, namely the diaminopimelate and α-aminoadipate pathways, which employ different enzymes and substrates and are found in different organisms. Lysine catabolism occurs through one of several pathways, the most common of which is the saccharopine pathway. Lysine plays several roles in humans, most importantly proteinogenesis, but also in the crosslinking of collagen polypeptides, uptake of essential mineral nutrients, and in the production of carnitine, which is key in fatty acid metabolism. Furthermore, lysine is often involved in histone modifications, and thus, impacts the epigenome. Due to the importance of lysine in several biological processes, a lack of lysine can lead to several disease states including; defective connective tissues, impaired fatty acid metabolism, anaemia, and systemic protein-energy deficiency. In juxtaposition to this, an overabundance of lysine, caused by ineffective catabolism, can cause severe neurological issues.

Towards novel herbicide modes of action by inhibiting lysine biosynthesis in plants

“…One amino acid biosynthesis pathway that remains largely unexplored for herbicide development is the diaminopimelate (DAP) pathway (Figure 1), which is responsible for the production of L-lysine (here after referred to as lysine) in plants and bacteria (Figure 1) (Hall and Soares da Costa, 2018). Animals, including humans, do not synthesise lysine, and therefore, must acquire it from dietary sources (Galili and Amir, 2013;Tomé and Bos, 2007).…”

Differential lysine‐mediated allosteric regulation of plant dihydrodipicolinate synthase isoforms

“…Lysine biosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts of plants via the diaminopimelate (DAP) pathway (Fig. 1) [8]. The DAP pathway commences with a condensation reaction between ( S )‐aspartate semialdehyde (ASA) and pyruvate to form 4‐hydroxy‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydrodipicolinic acid (HTPA) [9,10].…”

Nutrients and Constituents Relevant to Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Anti-Breast Cancer Properties of Salvia officinalis L.

“…Many biological functions requiring lysine; include synthesis of connective tissues and carnitine, conversion of fatty acids to energy that support healthy growth in children and maintenance of healthy immune function especially in the management of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections [34]. Lysine also found to enhance calcium absorption preventing Osteoporosis.…”