Open AccessPyrimidine biosynthesis de novo in M. leprae
Author(s) -
Wheeler Paul R.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1989.tb03296.x
Subject(s) - pyrimidine metabolism , de novo synthesis , aspartate carbamoyltransferase , mycobacterium leprae , biosynthesis , biochemistry , enzyme , pyrimidine , bacteria , biology , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , leprosy , genetics , immunology , allosteric regulation , purine
Mycobacterium leprae can synthesise pyrimidines de novo. Although pyrimidine synthesis could not be detected in intact bacteria, extracts contained all four enzymes unique to the de novo pathway which are detectable in mycobacteria by the methods used. Inhibition of aspartate transcarbamylase by UTP and ATP suggested that lack of pyrimidine synthetic activity in whole M. leprae could be a result of strong feedback inhibition.