Journal
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
Volume 57, Issue 13-14, Pages 1880-1893Publisher
SPRINGER BASEL AG
DOI: 10.1007/PL00000670
Keywords
cobalamin; vitamin B-12; tetrapyrrole; precorrin; chelatase; pathway
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The biosynthesis of cobalamin (vitamin B-12) is described, revealing how the concerted action of around 30 enzyme-mediated steps results in the synthesis of one of Nature's most structurally complex 'small molecules'. The plethora of genome sequences has meant that bacteria capable of cobalamin synthesis can be easily identified and their biosynthetic genes compared. Whereas only a few years ago cobalamin synthesis was thought to occur by one of two routes, there are apparently a number of variations on these two pathways, where the major differences seem to be concerned with the process of ring contraction. A comparison of what is currently known about these pathways is presented. Finally, the process of cobalt chelation is discussed and the structure/function of the cobalt chelatase associated with the oxygen-independent pathway (CbiK) is described.
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