Folic Acid
In mammals folic acid has the single important biochemical
function of accepting and releasing one-carbon units (Choi
and Mason 2000). This role is essential for: 1) synthesis of
purines and pyrimidines and (2) de novo synthesis of methyl
groups for the formation of the primary methylating agent,
S-adenosylmethionine (Fig. 2) (Bailey and Gregory 1999).
Many enzymes are folic acid-dependent, among them:
(1) formiminoglutamate transferase catalyzes the transformation
of formiminoglutamic acid, a product of histidine
degradation, to glutamic acid;
(2) polyenzyme complex, for the degradation of glycine;
(3) serine hydroxymethyltransferase catalyzes the reversible
transformation of serine into glycine and is the major
source of one-carbon units in mammals;
(4) methionine synthase, for the irreversible methylation of
homocysteine to methionine;
(5) glycinamide-ribose transformylase and aminodazolecarboxamide-
ribose transformylase, for purine ring formation;
(6) thymidylate synthase, for the synthesis of thymidylic
acid from desoxyuridylic acid.
MECHANISMS OF ACTION AND
ENZYMES INVOLVED