Propionic Acid Pathway
- Glycolysis
- Citric Acid Cycle (TCA Cycle)
- Electron Transport Chain (ETC)
- Cori Cycle
- De Novo Purine Synthesis
- De Novo Pyrimidine Synthesis
- Purine Salvage
- Purine Excretion
- Ethanol Metabolism
- Pyruvate Metabolism
- HMP Shunt (Pentose Phosphate Pathway)
- Galactose Metabolism
- Sorbitol (Polyol) Pathway
- Urea Cycle
- Alanine (Cahill) Cycle
- Catecholamine Synthesis & Breakdown
- Homocysteine Metabolism
- Fatty Acid Synthesis (Citrate Shuttle)
- Fatty Acid Breakdown (Carnitine Shuttle)
- Propionic Acid Pathway
- Fructose Metabolism
- Regulation by Fructose-2,6-Bisphosphate (F-2,6-BP)
- Glycogenesis
- Glycogenolysis
Propionic Acid Pathway
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Summary
The propionic acid pathway is a biochemical pathway that breaks down fatty acids and certain amino acids into energy. This pathway starts with one of five options: odd-chain fatty acids, as well as the amino acids threonine, isoleucine, valine or methionine.
All of these starting molecules are metabolized into the same molecule, propionyl-CoA. Propionyl-CoA is then converted into methylmalonyl-CoA by propionyl-CoA carboxylase, using biotin or vitamin B7 as a cofactor.
Next, methylmalonyl-CoA is converted into Succinyl-CoA by methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, using cobalamin or vitamin B12 as a cofactor. The final product, Succinyl-CoA is a part of the Krebs cycle, which means that it can be used to produce ATP or glucose by way of gluconeogenesis.