Abstract
Introduction
While the evolutionary adaptation of enzymes to their own substrates is a well assessed and rationalized field, how molecules have been originally selected in order to initiate and assemble convenient metabolic pathways is a fascinating, but still debated argument.
Objectives
Aim of the present study is to give a rationale for the preferential selection of specific molecules to generate metabolic pathways.
Methods
The comparison of structural features of molecules, through an inductive methodological approach, offer a reading key to cautiously propose a determining factor for their metabolic recruitment.
Results
Starting with some commonplaces occurring in the structural representation of relevant carbohydrates, such as glucose, fructose and ribose, arguments are presented in associating stable structural determinants of these molecules and their peculiar occurrence in metabolic pathways.
Conclusions
Among other possible factors, the reliability of the structural asset of a molecule may be relevant or its selection among structurally and, a priori, functionally similar molecules.
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Acknowledgements
This paper is dedicated to our biochemistry professor Pier Luigi Ipata for his continued passion for biochemical research. Thanks are also due to our colleagues at Pisa University, Prof. Mario Pellegrino and Prof. Aldo Paolicchi for their helpful discussions.
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This work was supported by the University of Pisa.
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Del-Corso, A., Cappiello, M., Moschini, R. et al. How the chemical features of molecules may have addressed the settlement of metabolic steps. Metabolomics 14, 2 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-017-1300-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-017-1300-1