
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Succinyl-CoA
Introduction
Succinyl-Coenzyme A, generally abbreviated as Succinyl-CoA or SucCoA is a combination of succinic acid and coenzyme A.
Source
Source
It is an important intermediate in the citric acid cycle, where it is synthesized from α-Ketoglutarate by α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase through decarboxylation. During the process, coenzyme A is added.
It is also synthesized from propionyl CoA, the odd numbered fatty acid which cannot undergo beta-oxidation. Propionyl-CoA is carboxylated to D-methylmalonyl-CoA, isomerized to L-methylmalonyl-CoA, and rearranged to yield succinyl-CoA via a vitamin B12-dependent enzyme. Succinyl-CoA is an intermediate of the citric acid cycle and can be readily incorporated there.
Fate
Fate
It is converted into succinate through the hydrolytic release of coenzyme A by succinyl-CoA synthetase (succinate thiokinase).
Another fate of succinyl-CoA is porphyrin synthesis, where succinyl-CoA and glycine are combined by ALA synthase to form δ-aminolevulinic acid (dALA).
Formation
Formation
Succinyl CoA can be formed from methylmalonyl CoA through the utilization of deoxyadenosyl-B12 (deoxyadenosylcobalamin) by methylmalonyl CoA Mutase. This reaction, which requires vitamin B12 to occur, is important in the catabolism of some branched-chain amino acids as well as odd-chain fatty acids.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
