Alpha-Ketobutyric acid

Alpha-Ketobutyric acid (also known as 2-oxobutanoic acid) is a ketone body. It is an intermediate in the metabolism of methionine and threonine. Alpha-Ketobutyric acid is converted into propionyl-CoA and then into succinyl-CoA in the body.

Etymology

The term "alpha-Ketobutyric acid" is derived from its chemical structure, which includes a ketone group (-CO-) and a butyric acid group (-C4H7O2). The "alpha" refers to the position of the ketone group on the first carbon atom in the molecule.

Chemical Structure

Alpha-Ketobutyric acid is a four-carbon molecule with the chemical formula C4H6O3. It has a ketone group (-CO-) on the first carbon atom and a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) on the last carbon atom.

Metabolism

Alpha-Ketobutyric acid is an intermediate in the metabolism of the amino acids methionine and threonine. It is converted into propionyl-CoA by the enzyme alpha-ketobutyrate dehydrogenase. Propionyl-CoA is then converted into succinyl-CoA, which can enter the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle or TCA cycle) to produce energy.

Related Terms

• Ketone bodies
• Methionine
• Threonine
• Propionyl-CoA
• Succinyl-CoA
• Citric acid cycle

See Also

• Ketone bodies
• Amino acid metabolism
• Citric acid cycle

References

Alpha-Ketobutyric acid Resources
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