× Didn't find what you were looking for? Ask a question
Top Posters
Since Sunday
5
o
5
4
m
4
b
4
x
4
a
4
l
4
t
4
S
4
m
3
s
3
New Topic  
bio_man bio_man
wrote...
Administrator
Educator
Posts: 33222
13 years ago
Explain the metabolic relationship between haemoglobin synthesis and folic acid deficiency.
Read 3052 times
1 Reply

Related Topics

Replies
bio_man Author
wrote...
Educator
13 years ago
•   Folic acid is itself not biologically active until it has been converted into tetrahydrofolate via the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase in the liver. Therefore, folic acid is a precursor of tetrahydrofolate.

•   In order to biosynthesize glycine, the amino acid serine is required, where the enzyme serine hydroxymethyltransferase catalyses the reaction between serine and tetrahydrofolate into glycine.

•   The committed step for porphyrin biosynthesis (the prosthetic group that contains an iron atom contained in the center of a large heterocyclic organic ring) is the formation of D-aminolevulinic acid by the reaction of the amino acid glycine and succinyl-CoA, from the citric acid cycle. Therefore, glycine is a precursor of porphyrin.
[1] Folic Acid Rightwards Arrow Tetrahydrofolate
[2] Tetrahydrofolate Rightwards Arrow Glycine
[3] Glycine Rightwards Arrow Porphyrin

•   In all, a lack of folic acid impairs hemoglobin synthesis.
New Topic      
Explore
Post your homework questions and get free online help from our incredible volunteers
  794 People Browsing
 111 Signed Up Today
Related Images
  
 43
  
 727
  
 584
Your Opinion
Do you believe in global warming?
Votes: 370