Coenzyme A

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Coenzyme A (often abbreviated as CoA, CoASH, or HSCoA) is a crucial coenzyme involved in various biochemical reactions in living organisms. Its ubiquity in cell biology and biochemistry is evidenced by its role in up to 4% of enzymatic reactions within all living cells.

Biological Role[edit | edit source]

Coenzyme A is pivotal in several essential metabolic processes:

Structure and Function[edit | edit source]

Coenzyme A is comprised of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule that is linked to a cysteamine and a pantothenic acid. The terminal thiol (-SH) group of the cysteamine provides CoA its reactivity, allowing it to acylate other molecules.

Importance in Research and Medicine[edit | edit source]

Given its central role in metabolism, Coenzyme A has been a subject of interest in many research fields. Its involvement in fatty acid synthesis, for instance, links it to studies on obesity and metabolic disorders. Additionally, drugs that affect CoA pathways might have therapeutic potential in treating various diseases.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Gallery[edit | edit source]


This article is a stub.

You can help WikiMD by registering to expand it.
Editing is available only to registered and verified users.
WikiMD is a comprehensive, free health & wellness encyclopedia.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD