Topic 13.3
The Shikimic Acid Pathway
Plant phenolics are biosynthesized by several different routes and thus constitute a heterogeneous group from a metabolic point of view. Two basic pathways are involved: the shikimic acid pathway and the malonic acid pathway. The shikimic acid pathway (Web Figure 13.3.A) participates in the biosynthesis of most plant phenolics. The malonic acid pathway, although an important source of phenolic secondary products in fungi and bacteria, is of less significance in higher plants.
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| Web Figure 13.3.A In the shikimic acid pathway, the aromatic amino acids are synthesized from carbohydrate precursors derived from the pentose phosphate pathway (D-erythrose-4-phosphate) and glycolysis (phosphoenolpyruvic acid). (Click image to enlarge.) |
The shikimic acid pathway converts simple carbohydrate precursors derived from glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway to the aromatic amino acids (Herrmann and Weaver, 1999). One of the pathway intermediates is shikimic acid, which has given its name to this whole sequence of reactions. The well-known, broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate (available commercially as Roundup) kills plants by blocking a step in this pathway (see Chapter 2 on this website). The shikimic acid pathway is present in plants, fungi, and bacteria but is not found in animals. Animals have no way to synthesize the three aromatic amino acids—phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan—which are therefore essential nutrients in animal diets.