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Para‐aminobenzoic acid is an alternative aromatic ring precursor of coenzyme Q biosynthesis in mammalian cells
Author(s) -
Xie Letian,
Williams Kevin J,
Marbois Beth,
Tang Jeniffer,
Bensinger Steven J
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.790.6
Subject(s) - biosynthesis , yeast , ring (chemistry) , biochemistry , chemistry , stereochemistry , cofactor , saccharomyces cerevisiae , enzyme , organic chemistry
Coenzyme Q (ubiquinone or Q) is a lipid electron carrier in the electron transport chain. In yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae nine genes, designated COQ1 through COQ9 , have been identified as being required for Q biosynthesis. Generally, 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid (4‐HB) is considered the aromatic ring precursor to Q biosynthesis. Recently, para‐aminobenzoic acid (pABA), a well‐known precursor of folate, has been discovered as an alternative ring precursor to Q biosynthesis in yeast. This was a surprising finding because folate is synthesized de novo from pABA in yeast, but is a vitamin for human. In this study, we find pABA is also an aromatic ring precursor in Q biosynthesis in mammalian cells. We utilize liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS), and show that human and murine cells labeled with 13 C 6 ‐pABA synthesize 13 C 6 ‐Q. This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grant 0919609, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant GM45952, and Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award GM007185. The LC‐MS/MS determination of Q content was supported by Grant Number S10RR024605 from the National Center for Research Resources.