Biosynthesis of asymmetric citric acid: a substantiation of the ogston concept

ABSTRACT A. G. OGSTON1, in a recent note in _Nature_ on the “Interpretation of Experiments on Metabolic Processes, using Isotopic Tracer Elements", introduced the important concept that

an enzyme might be able to distinguish between the chemically ‘identical’ groups of a symmetrical compound. Ogston pointed to the dangers of the contrary assumption, and as one example he

questioned the conclusion that citric acid was not an intermediate in the Krebs cycle of oxidations in so far as this conclusion was based upon the finding that the fixation of isotopically

labelled carbon dioxide led to the formation of asymmetrically labelled α-keto-glutaric acid. It had been assumed2,3,4 that if citric acid were on the pathway leading to α-ketoglutaric acid,

the latter would have had isotopic carbon equally distributed between the two carboxylic acid groups. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription

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OF THE KREBS CYCLE COMPOSED ENTIRELY OF Α-KETOACIDS Article 12 October 2020 PREBIOTIC FORMATION OF THIOESTERS VIA CYCLIC ANHYDRIDES AS A KEY STEP IN THE EMERGENCE OF METABOLISM Article Open

access 27 February 2025 PREBIOTIC SYNTHESIS OF Α-AMINO ACIDS AND OROTATE FROM Α-KETOACIDS POTENTIATES TRANSITION TO EXTANT METABOLIC PATHWAYS Article 28 July 2022 REFERENCES * Ogston, A.

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Google Scholar  * Stern, J. R., and Ochoa, S., _J. Biol. Chem._, 179, 491 (1949). CAS  Google Scholar  Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * McArdle Memorial

Laboratory for Cancer Research, Medical School, University of Wisconsin, VAN R. POTTER & CHARLES HEIDELBERGER Authors * VAN R. POTTER View author publications You can also search for

this author inPubMed Google Scholar * CHARLES HEIDELBERGER View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and

permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE POTTER, V., HEIDELBERGER, C. Biosynthesis of Asymmetric Citric Acid: a Substantiation of the Ogston Concept. _Nature_ 164, 180–181 (1949).

https://doi.org/10.1038/164180b0 Download citation * Issue Date: 30 July 1949 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/164180b0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able

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