Succinyl CoA becomes succinic acid using succinyl CoA synthetase. This reaction produces NADH which directly provides electrons for the electron transport chain or respiratory chain. Succinic acid requires the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase to become fumarate. This enzyme is ironbased and requires vitamin B2 to support flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as a redox coenzyme. Succinate dehydrogenase plays a critical role in mitochondrial metabolism. Impairment of this enzyme’s activity has been linked to a variety of diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
References:
- Tretter L, Adam-Vizi V. Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase: a target and generator of oxidative stress. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2005;360(1464):2335-2345.
- Rutter J, Winge DR, Schiffman JD. Succinate dehydrogenase - Assembly, regulation and role in human disease. Mitochondrion. 2010;10(4):393-401.
- Van Vranken JG, Na U, Winge DR, Rutter J. Protein-mediated assembly of succinate dehydrogenase and its cofactors. Crit Rev Biochem Molec Biol. 2015;50(2):168-180.
- Connors J, Dawe N, Van Limbergen J. The Role of Succinate in the Regulation of Intestinal Inflammation. Nutrients. 2018;11(1):25.
- Wentzel JF, Lewies A, Bronkhorst AJ, Van Dyk E, Du Plessis LH, Pretorius PJ. Exposure to high levels of fumarate and succinate leads to apoptotic cytotoxicity and altered global DNA methylation profiles in vitro. Biochimie. 2017;135:28-34.
- Harris RA, Joshi M, Jeoung NH, Obayashi M. Overview of the Molecular and Biochemical Basis of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Catabolism. J Nutr. 2005;135(6):1527S-1530S.
Succinic Acid
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