Tartronic_acid_semialdehyde

Tartronic acid semialdehyde

Tartronic acid semialdehyde

Chemical compound

Tartronic acid semialdehyde is the organic compound with the formula OCHCH(OH)CO2H. The molecule has three functional groups, aldehyde, alcohol, and carboxylic acid. A white solid, it occurs naturally. A near neutral pH, it exists as the hydrated carboxylate (HO)2CHCH(OH)CO2−, which is referred to as tartronate semialdehyde. Tartronate semialdehyde is produced and consumed on a prodigious scale as an intermediate in photorespiration, an undesirable side reaction that competes with photosynthesis. It is produced biologically by the condensation of two equivalents of glyoxalate:[1]

2 OC(H)CO2H → OC(H)CH(OH)CO2H + CO2
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This condensation is catalyzed by tartronate-semialdehyde synthase.

References

  1. [1]
    Leegood RC (May 2007). "A Welcome Diversion from Photorespiration". Nature Biotechnology. 25 (5): 539–40. doi:10.1038/nbt0507-539. PMID 17483837. S2CID 5015366.
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