Identification of alternative pentose phosphate pathway in animals.

在戊糖磷酸途径中，葡萄糖- 6-磷酸经葡萄糖-1,5-内酯- 6-磷酸和6-磷酸葡萄糖酸转化为甘油醛- 3-磷酸，产生核酸合成所必需的NADPH和各种己糖。已知细菌中存在通过葡萄糖内酯和葡萄糖酸盐将葡萄糖转化为6-磷酸葡萄糖酸盐的替代途径。然而，目前尚不清楚这种替代途径是否存在于动物体内。在这项研究中，我们鉴定了在人和小鼠中催化葡萄糖酸磷酸化为6-磷酸葡萄糖酸的葡萄糖激酶基因。

In pentose phosphate pathway, glucose 6-phosphate is converted to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate via glucono-1,5-lactone 6-phosphate and 6-phospho gluconate to produce NADPH and various hexose which is necessary for a synthesis of nucleic acid. It is known that alternative pathway from glucose to 6-phospho gluconate through gluconolactone and gluconate exists in bacteria. However, it remains unclear whether the alternative pathway exists in animals. In this study, we identified the gluconokinase gene which catalyzes a phosphorylation of gluconate to 6-phospho gluconate in human and mouse.