Amino Acid Metabolism - Medical Science

Q1:

Histidine is degraded to α-ketoglutarate and is described as a

A gluco amino acid

B glucogenic amino acid

C ketogenic amino acid

D keto-gluco amino acid

ANS:B - glucogenic amino acid

Histidine is deaminated to urocanic acid, which is converted to 4-imidazolone 5-propionate. Hydrolysis of the later gives N-formiminoglutamate (FIGlu, which donates its formimino group to tetrahydrofolate, leaving glutamate which is then converted to alpha-ketoglutarate. Alpha-ketoglutarate is an intermediate in the Kreb's Cycle. Any amino acid whose catabolism gives pyruvate or one of the intermediate of Citric Acid Cycle is glycogenic amino acid.