Page last updated: 2024-10-24

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine biosynthetic process

Definition

Target type: biologicalprocess

The chemical reactions and pathways resulting in the formation of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, a substance composed of N-acetylglucosamine, a common structural unit of oligosaccharides, in glycosidic linkage with uridine diphosphate. [GOC:ai]

The UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) biosynthetic process is a crucial pathway in the synthesis of numerous essential biomolecules, including glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans, and chitin. This process begins with the conversion of fructose-6-phosphate to glucosamine-6-phosphate by the enzyme glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase. Glucosamine-6-phosphate is then acetylated by glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase to form N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate. The next step involves the phosphorylation of N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate by the enzyme N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate kinase, yielding UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate. Finally, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase catalyzes the transfer of a uridine diphosphate (UDP) molecule from UTP to UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate, resulting in the formation of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. This product, UDP-GlcNAc, serves as a precursor for various glycosylation reactions and plays a critical role in cellular processes such as protein folding, cell signaling, and immune response.'
"

Proteins (2)

ProteinDefinitionTaxonomy
Glutamine--fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase [isomerizing] 1A glutamine--fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase [isomerizing] 1 that is encoded in the genome of human. [PRO:DNx, UniProtKB:Q06210]Homo sapiens (human)
Glutamine--fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase [isomerizing] 1A glutamine--fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase [isomerizing] 1 that is encoded in the genome of human. [PRO:DNx, UniProtKB:Q06210]Homo sapiens (human)

Compounds (2)

CompoundDefinitionClassesRoles
aaptamineaaptamine: natural product from sea sponge Aaptos aaptos; structure given in first source; RN from CA Index Guide 1984
n(3)-(4-methoxyfumaroyl)-2,3-diaminopropionic acidN(3)-(4-methoxyfumaroyl)-2,3-diaminopropionic acid : A monocarboxylic acid amide obtained by the formal condensation of the terminal amino group of 3-amino-L-alanine with the carboxy group of (2E)-4-methoxy-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid.

N(3)-(4-methoxyfumaroyl)-2,3-diaminopropionic acid: inhibits glucosamine synthetase in E coli; structure given in first source; RN given refers to (S-(E)-isomer)
enoate ester;
methyl ester;
monocarboxylic acid amide
metabolite