Ornithine Cycle and Metabolic Engineering

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the ornithine cycle and its genetic engineering applications.

Ornithine cycle

Also known as the urea cycle, it produces urea from ammonia.

Urea (NH2)2CO

The end product of the ornithine cycle, formed from ammonia.

Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I

The enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ammonia and CO2 into carbamoyl phosphate.

Ornithine transcarbamoylase (OTC)

The enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of the carbamoyl group from carbamoyl phosphate to ornithine, producing citrulline.

Argininosuccinate synthetase

The enzyme that catalyzes the formation of argininosuccinate from citrulline and aspartate.

Argininosuccinate lyase

The enzyme that cleaves argininosuccinate into arginine and fumarate.

Arginase (CAR1 gene)

The enzyme that hydrolyzes arginine to produce urea and ornithine.

Le Chatelier's principle

A principle stating that if a system at equilibrium is disturbed, the system shifts in a direction that counteracts the disturbance.

Metabolic engineering

The process of optimizing genetic and regulatory processes within cells to increase the production of certain substances.

S. cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a species of yeast often used in genetic and metabolic studies.