What is the name of the process that converts one carbon dioxide and two ammonia molecules into urea?
Question
What is the name of the process that converts one carbon dioxide and two ammonia molecules into urea?
Solution
The process that converts one carbon dioxide and two ammonia molecules into urea is called the Urea Cycle or Ornithine Cycle. Here are the steps:
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The cycle begins in the mitochondria of liver cells, where two ammonia molecules and one carbon dioxide molecule combine to form carbamoyl phosphate. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I and requires two molecules of ATP.
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Carbamoyl phosphate then combines with ornithine to form citrulline. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme ornithine transcarbamylase.
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Citrulline is then transported out of the mitochondria and into the cytosol, where it combines with aspartate to form argininosuccinate. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme argininosuccinate synthetase and requires one molecule of ATP.
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Argininosuccinate is then cleaved by the enzyme argininosuccinase to form arginine and fumarate.
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Finally, arginine is cleaved by the enzyme arginase to form urea and ornithine. The ornithine is then transported back into the mitochondria to begin the cycle again.
The urea produced in this process is then transported to the kidneys and excreted in the urine.
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