Neisseria meningitidis expresses a single 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase that is inhibited primarily by phenylalanine.

ABSTRACT: Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of meningitis and meningococcal septicemia is a major cause of disease worldwide, resulting in brain damage and hearing loss, and can be fatal in a large proportion of cases. The enzyme 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS) catalyzes the first reaction in the shikimate pathway leading to the biosynthesis of aromatic metabolites including the aromatic acids l-Trp, l-Phe, and l-Tyr. This pathway is absent in humans, meaning that enzymes of the pathway are considered as potential candidates for therapeutic intervention. As the entry point, feedback inhibition of DAH7PS by pathway end products is a key mechanism for the control of pathway flux. The structure of the single DAH7PS expressed by N. meningitidis was determined at

SUBMITTER: Cross PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3832045 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature