Tetrapyrrole Synthesis and Porphyrias

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on tetrapyrrole synthesis, heme, and related diseases.

Heme

A modified tetrapyrrole made of four pyrrole units, important for functions like oxygen transport and electron transport.

Porphyria

A group of genetic diseases caused by defects in the synthesis of heme, leading to a buildup of specific porphyrin precursors in the body.

Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP)

A type of porphyria characterized by intermittent symptoms like abdominal pain, mood swings, delusions, paranoia, and polyneuropathy.

Hematin

A treatment for AIP, along with glucose, used to manage acute attacks.

Pyrrole

A five-membered heterocyclic aromatic organic compound. Heme is composed of four pyrrole units.

Tetrapyrrole

A large macrocycle composed of four pyrrole units, often containing a metal ion at its center. Examples include heme, chlorophyll, and vitamin B12.

Cytochromes P450

A major group of enzymes found in the liver that are used to detoxify a range of toxic compounds, such as drugs; heme is essential to these enzymes.

Chlorophyll

A Mg2+ containing chlorin involved in photosynthesis, found in PSI and PSII.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

A Co2+ containing corrin used by enzymes like methionine synthase and methylmalonyl CoA mutase.

Bilanes

Linear tetrapyrroles, such as bilirubin and biliverdin (bile pigments).

Phycobilins

Bilins associated with light harvesting in photosynthetic organisms (cyanobacteria and red algae).

Siroheme

Fe2+ containing isobacteriochlorin used by sulfite/nitrite reductases.

Coenzyme F430

Ni2+ containing corphin that is used by methyl CoM reductase.