Niacin - Specific metabolic pathway

[Becki182]

Hi all,

 

I am currently writing up an essay on Niacin and Vitamin B12; I am focusing on niacin currently. Part of the marking scheme asks for information on a specific metabolic pathway so I was going to talk about the process from tryptophan to nicotinic acid.

The essay is to be 1500 words so not too much but how should I write about a specific metabolic pathway without just directly quoting the order of the diagram? I have included the diagram that i have within my essay.

 

Is there a more exciting way to write about this?! and would this be the best metabolic pathway to discuss?

 

 

Does anyone also have a suggestion for a good pathway to talk about when I come to writing up the B12 part?

 

Thanks!

[hypervalent_iodine]

Whether or not its a good pathway would depend on how you tie it into your essay. I am not familiar with the pathway you have shown, but given that humans can't make B12, it might be interesting to find the part of the biosynthetic pathway that we lack compared to organisms that can make it.

 

As for making the body of text more exciting: not really and yes. Writing about synthetic schemes can often sound like you are just reciting a list. There's not really a way around having to do that, but you can make it a little more interesting to your reader by highlighting the theoretical concepts that come into play (and by keeping the boring bits concise). For example, when writing about synthesis in organic chemistry, I will usually list examples of a particular synthesis, briefly going through what was made into what and how well it was done. This can make for very boring reading (and writing) on its own. The way around it (for me at least) is to try and break it down into mechanistic detail and comparisons to other systems in a way that helps you tell whatever story you're telling. I couldn't give specific details for the area this essay is in, but that last bit is probably the most important. You don't want to be rambling on and on about bare facts; it needs to all weave together into something coherent.

[CharonY]

Also, is the course more chemical or more biological. In the latter you can nicely tie in physiology. In the former general themes, branches and variations are sometimes useful to convey concepts. Or, conversely deal more with the proteinbiochemistry involved by highlighting specifics.

[Becki182]

Also, is the course more chemical or more biological. In the latter you can nicely tie in physiology. In the former general themes, branches and variations are sometimes useful to convey concepts. Or, conversely deal more with the proteinbiochemistry involved by highlighting specifics.

its more biological, i am studying animal biology. We have been told to strictly focus on the molecular and cellular level of the vitamins we are discussing.

Thank you!

 

 

Whether or not its a good pathway would depend on how you tie it into your essay. I am not familiar with the pathway you have shown, but given that humans can't make B12, it might be interesting to find the part of the biosynthetic pathway that we lack compared to organisms that can make it.

 

As for making the body of text more exciting: not really and yes. Writing about synthetic schemes can often sound like you are just reciting a list. There's not really a way around having to do that, but you can make it a little more interesting to your reader by highlighting the theoretical concepts that come into play (and by keeping the boring bits concise). For example, when writing about synthesis in organic chemistry, I will usually list examples of a particular synthesis, briefly going through what was made into what and how well it was done. This can make for very boring reading (and writing) on its own. The way around it (for me at least) is to try and break it down into mechanistic detail and comparisons to other systems in a way that helps you tell whatever story you're telling. I couldn't give specific details for the area this essay is in, but that last bit is probably the most important. You don't want to be rambling on and on about bare facts; it needs to all weave together into something coherent.

The image linked is showing how we can make niacin in the body from tryptophan; part of my essay is just to discuss the role of niacin in the pathway...so really very basic to tie in!

Good suggestion on the B12 pathway, thank you.

 

Thank you both for your helpful input

[BabcockHall]

Just to be clear, is your assignment to write about the biosynthetic pathways to form these two coenzymes, or is it to write about which biosynthetic pathways in which these coenzymes participate? Many biochemistry textbooks have a discussion of how the coenzymes are formed. The relationship of maize (corn) to pellagra ties in with tryptophan branch of your pathway: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6357846

Edited October 9, 2015 by BabcockHall

[Becki182]

Just to be clear, is your assignment to write about the biosynthetic pathways to form these two coenzymes, or is it to write about which biosynthetic pathways in which these coenzymes participate? Many biochemistry textbooks have a discussion of how the coenzymes are formed. The relationship of maize (corn) to pellagra ties in with tryptophan branch of your pathway: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6357846

the latter! We've to discuss niacin, and then vitamin B12 so I have picked a pathway for each.

ahh thank you for the pubmed link; interesting!

[BabcockHall]

There are only two human pathways that need vitamin B12. However, there is a rare metabolic disease that is a hereditary deficiency in one of them. A woman almost got put away for life for poisoning her son because it was improperly diagnosed. Some but not all ribonucleotide reductases are B12-dependent. The coenzyme related to niacin is present in so many pathways that it is difficult to single one out.

[Xalatan]

Tryptophan to niacin is good and I would write about pellagra. The pathology is interesting. The biochemistry is also interesting if you write about NADH and associated pathways like oxidative phosphorylation and malate shuttling.

 

Vit b12 is pretty standard if you write about pyrimidine biosynthesis, the role of folate and b12 for transmethylation, and the role in methionine biosynthesis. Pernicious anaemia and intrinsic factor would be the pathological angle to pursue.