7-cyano-7-deazaguanine biosynthetic process
GO:0097288
The complete four-transformation route from GTP to preQ0 in Escherichia coli K-12, independently defined by MetaCyc PWY-6703. FolE and QueD form dihydroneopterin triphosphate and carboxytetrahydropterin, QueE contracts the ring to carboxydeazaguanine, and QueC forms the nitrile. Current Rhea chemistry assigns two ATP-to-AMP activations to the QueC net step, superseding the obsolete one-ATP/ADP accounting in the retained native releases. The net QueE reaction regenerates SAM; radical activation and its physiological electron donor are not additional stoichiometric transformations here. Direct E. coli FolE/QueD assays, mixed-species pathway reconstruction, E. coli genetics and inferred K-12 QueE/QueC activities are distinguished. The native QueD hexamer represents a crystallographic assembly; reviewed solution trimers and dodecamers remain an unresolved assembly difference. The pathway ends at free preQ0: its reduction to preQ1, tRNA incorporation, queuosine maturation, transport and antibiotic branches are separate processes. Anaerobic purified-enzyme assay conditions protect oxygen-sensitive intermediates and clusters and do not establish that the cellular pathway operates only anaerobically.
- Pathway type
- deazapurine biosynthesis
- Organism scope
Pathway network
29 nodes · 41 asserted directed edges
Arrows show recorded subject → object relationships, not necessarily metabolic flow. Select a node for details or an arrow for evidence. Scroll, zoom or find a node to explore.
- Reaction / activity
- Chemical / cofactor
- Protein / complex
- Pathway
- Solid arrow: mechanistic relation
- Dashed arrow: membership, location or cofactor relation
Components and activities
| Node | Kind or role | Source direction |
|---|---|---|
Escherichia coli K-12NCBITaxon:83333 | taxon | |
GTP(4-)CHEBI:37565 | small molecule | |
waterCHEBI:15377 | small molecule | |
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate(4-)CHEBI:58462 | small molecule | |
formateCHEBI:15740 | small molecule | |
hydronCHEBI:15378 | small molecule | |
5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin-6-carboxylateCHEBI:61032 | small molecule | |
triphosphate(5-)CHEBI:18036 | small molecule | |
acetaldehydeCHEBI:15343 | small molecule | |
7-carboxylato-7-deazaguanineCHEBI:61036 | small molecule | |
ammoniumCHEBI:28938 | small molecule | |
ATP(4-)CHEBI:30616 | small molecule | |
7-cyano-7-deazaguanineCHEBI:45075 | small molecule | |
adenosine 5'-monophosphate(2-)CHEBI:456215 | small molecule | |
diphosphate(3-)CHEBI:33019 | small molecule | |
zinc(2+)CHEBI:29105 | cofactor | |
tetra-mu3-sulfido-tetraironCHEBI:49883 | cofactor | |
S-adenosyl-L-methionine zwitterionCHEBI:59789 | cofactor | |
magnesium(2+)CHEBI:18420 | cofactor | |
GTP cyclohydrolase 1UniProtKB:P0A6T5 | protein | |
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthaseUniProtKB:P65870 | protein | |
7-carboxy-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P64554 | protein | |
7-cyano-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P77756 | protein | |
GTP cyclohydrolase 1MetaCyc:FOLE-CPLX | complex | |
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthaseMetaCyc:CPLX0-8123 | complex | |
GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 | molecular activity | left to right |
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 | molecular activity | left to right |
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 | molecular activity | left to right |
7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 | molecular activity | left to right |
Mechanistic edges
| Subject | Predicate and description | Object | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
GTP(4-)CHEBI:37565 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 |
|
waterCHEBI:15377 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 |
|
GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate(4-)CHEBI:58462 |
|
GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | formateCHEBI:15740 |
|
GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | hydronCHEBI:15378 |
|
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate(4-)CHEBI:58462 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 |
|
waterCHEBI:15377 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 |
|
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin-6-carboxylateCHEBI:61032 |
|
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | triphosphate(5-)CHEBI:18036 |
|
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | acetaldehydeCHEBI:15343 |
|
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 | produces Coefficient 2 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | hydronCHEBI:15378 |
|
5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin-6-carboxylateCHEBI:61032 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 |
|
hydronCHEBI:15378 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 |
|
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | 7-carboxylato-7-deazaguanineCHEBI:61036 |
|
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. | ammoniumCHEBI:28938 |
|
7-carboxylato-7-deazaguanineCHEBI:61036 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. The current two-ATP net equation supersedes the obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation in MetaCyc 22.5 and PathBank; no component reactions are double counted. | 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 |
|
ammoniumCHEBI:28938 | consumes Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. The current two-ATP net equation supersedes the obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation in MetaCyc 22.5 and PathBank; no component reactions are double counted. | 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 |
|
ATP(4-)CHEBI:30616 | consumes Coefficient 2 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. The current two-ATP net equation supersedes the obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation in MetaCyc 22.5 and PathBank; no component reactions are double counted. | 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 |
|
7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 | produces Coefficient 1 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. The current two-ATP net equation supersedes the obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation in MetaCyc 22.5 and PathBank; no component reactions are double counted. | 7-cyano-7-deazaguanineCHEBI:45075 |
|
7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 | produces Coefficient 2 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. The current two-ATP net equation supersedes the obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation in MetaCyc 22.5 and PathBank; no component reactions are double counted. | adenosine 5'-monophosphate(2-)CHEBI:456215 |
|
7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 | produces Coefficient 2 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. The current two-ATP net equation supersedes the obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation in MetaCyc 22.5 and PathBank; no component reactions are double counted. | diphosphate(3-)CHEBI:33019 |
|
7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 | produces Coefficient 2 in the selected Rhea 142 biosynthetic direction; the exact charge form is retained. The current two-ATP net equation supersedes the obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation in MetaCyc 22.5 and PathBank; no component reactions are double counted. | hydronCHEBI:15378 |
|
GTP cyclohydrolase 1UniProtKB:P0A6T5 | part_of FolE is a subunit of the independently identified native homodecamer; ten polypeptides form the assembly. | GTP cyclohydrolase 1MetaCyc:FOLE-CPLX |
|
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthaseUniProtKB:P65870 | part_of The selected native QueD assembly contains six subunits and corresponds to the crystallographic hexamer. Reviewed UniProt also reports trimers and dodecamers in solution; this edge does not assert a unique assembly under all conditions. | 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthaseMetaCyc:CPLX0-8123 |
|
GTP cyclohydrolase 1MetaCyc:FOLE-CPLX | catalyzes The FolE assembly provides the first transformation shared with folate and other pterin pathways. | GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 |
|
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthaseMetaCyc:CPLX0-8123 | catalyzes QueD forms carboxytetrahydropterin, not the mammalian pyruvoyltetrahydropterin product. The native crystallographic assembly is retained without excluding other solution assemblies. | 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 |
|
7-carboxy-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P64554 | enables E. coli QueE is assigned this catalytic role by reviewed HAMAP inference, not by transferring a purified Bacillus experiment to E. coli. UniProt infers a homodimer; no monomer sufficiency is asserted. The net reaction does not consume SAM, which is regenerated in the mechanistically characterized Bacillus enzyme. | 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 |
|
7-cyano-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P77756 | enables The E. coli QueC gene product is assigned the current two-ATP nitrile-forming net activity by reviewed HAMAP inference. Genetic complementation supports its upstream role; it does not independently measure the exact stoichiometry or establish monomer sufficiency. The two-adenylation mechanism was experimentally resolved for Streptomyces ToyM. | 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 |
|
GTP cyclohydrolase 1UniProtKB:P0A6T5 | has_cofactor The FolE protein binds catalytically active zinc; binding-site annotation is not evidence for additional free divalent-metal cofactors. | zinc(2+)CHEBI:29105 |
|
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthaseUniProtKB:P65870 | has_cofactor QueD binds one zinc ion per subunit; the directly measured stoichiometry is approximately one equivalent, rather than proof of one invariant oligomeric state. | zinc(2+)CHEBI:29105 |
|
7-carboxy-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P64554 | has_cofactor The E. coli QueE cofactor assignment is explicitly automatic HAMAP inference; direct mechanistic cofactor measurements were made on B. subtilis QueE. | tetra-mu3-sulfido-tetraironCHEBI:49883 |
|
7-carboxy-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P64554 | has_cofactor The E. coli QueE cofactor assignment is explicitly automatic HAMAP inference; direct mechanistic cofactor measurements were made on B. subtilis QueE. SAM is catalytic and regenerated in that experiment, so it is not a net substrate or product. | S-adenosyl-L-methionine zwitterionCHEBI:59789 |
|
7-carboxy-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P64554 | has_cofactor The E. coli QueE cofactor assignment is explicitly automatic HAMAP inference; direct mechanistic cofactor measurements were made on B. subtilis QueE. | magnesium(2+)CHEBI:18420 |
|
7-cyano-7-deazaguanine synthaseUniProtKB:P77756 | has_cofactor QueC zinc binding is a reviewed HAMAP inference for E. coli; the inspected primary zinc measurements concern B. subtilis QueC and S. rimosus ToyM. | zinc(2+)CHEBI:29105 |
|
GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 | part_of This is one complete native transformation in the exact PreQ0-forming process. | GO:0097288 |
|
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 | part_of This is one complete native transformation in the exact PreQ0-forming process. | GO:0097288 |
|
6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 | part_of This is one complete native transformation in the exact PreQ0-forming process. | GO:0097288 |
|
7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 | part_of This is one complete native transformation in the exact PreQ0-forming process. The preserved native cross-reference identifies the updated reaction, but MetaCyc 22.5 retains an obsolete one-ATP/ADP equation; current Rhea 142 supplies the chemistry. | GO:0097288 |
|
GTP + H2O => 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + formate + H(+)RHEA:17474 | provides_input_for The exact charged intermediate connects the two selected biosynthetic reactions; there is no additional net or decomposition reaction. | 7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 |
|
7,8-dihydroneopterin 3'-triphosphate + H2O => 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + triphosphate + acetaldehyde + 2 H(+)RHEA:27967 | provides_input_for The exact charged intermediate connects the two selected biosynthetic reactions; there is no additional net or decomposition reaction. | 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 |
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6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin + H(+) => 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+)RHEA:27975 | provides_input_for The exact charged intermediate connects the two selected biosynthetic reactions; there is no additional net or decomposition reaction. | 7-carboxy-7-carbaguanine + NH4(+) + 2 ATP => 7-cyano-7-carbaguanine + 2 AMP + 2 diphosphate + 2 H(+)RHEA:27983 |
|
References
MetaCyc:PWY-6703MetaCyc PWY-6703 original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)MetaCyc:GTP-CYCLOHYDRO-I-RXNMetaCyc GTP-CYCLOHYDRO-I-RXN original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)MetaCyc:RXN0-5507MetaCyc RXN0-5507 original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)MetaCyc:RXN0-6575MetaCyc RXN0-6575 original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)MetaCyc:RXN-12093MetaCyc RXN-12093 original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)MetaCyc:FOLE-CPLXMetaCyc FOLE-CPLX original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)MetaCyc:CPLX0-8123MetaCyc CPLX0-8123 original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)MetaCyc:G7431-MONOMERMetaCyc G7431-MONOMER original native object (source version: MetaCyc 22.5; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML response body)GO:0097288Gene Ontology exact PreQ0 biosynthetic process definition (source version: QuickGO response retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete JSON body)UniProtKB:P0A6T5GTP cyclohydrolase 1 — reviewed E. coli K-12 entry (source version: UniProt 2026_03; released 2026-09-02; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete entry JSON body)UniProtKB:P658706-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthase — reviewed E. coli K-12 entry (source version: UniProt 2026_03; released 2026-09-02; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete entry JSON body)UniProtKB:P645547-carboxy-7-deazaguanine synthase — reviewed E. coli K-12 entry (source version: UniProt 2026_03; released 2026-09-02; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete entry JSON body)UniProtKB:P777567-cyano-7-deazaguanine synthase — reviewed E. coli K-12 entry (source version: UniProt 2026_03; released 2026-09-02; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete entry JSON body)RHEA:17473Rhea 17473 original reaction family and exact directed chemistry (source version: Rhea 142; 2026-09-02; digest covers complete compressed RDF archive)RHEA:27966Rhea 27966 original reaction family and exact directed chemistry (source version: Rhea 142; 2026-09-02; digest covers complete compressed RDF archive)RHEA:27974Rhea 27974 original reaction family and exact directed chemistry (source version: Rhea 142; 2026-09-02; digest covers complete compressed RDF archive)RHEA:27982Rhea 27982 original reaction family and exact directed chemistry (source version: Rhea 142; 2026-09-02; digest covers complete compressed RDF archive)PMID:19354300The deazapurine biosynthetic pathway revealed: in vitro enzymatic synthesis of PreQ(0) from guanosine 5'-triphosphate in four steps. (source version: Primary full manuscript, NCBI BioC; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML body)PMID:19231875Escherichia coli QueD is a 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin synthase. (source version: Primary full manuscript, NCBI BioC; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML body)PMID:26228534A Single Enzyme Transforms a Carboxylic Acid into a Nitrile through an Amide Intermediate. (source version: Primary full manuscript, NCBI BioC; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML body)PMID:23194065Spectroscopic, steady-state kinetic, and mechanistic characterization of the radical SAM enzyme QueE, which catalyzes a complex cyclization reaction in the biosynthesis of 7-deazapurines. (source version: Primary full manuscript, NCBI BioC; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete XML body)PMID:16199558Genetic analysis identifies a function for the queC (ybaX) gene product at an initial step in the queuosine biosynthetic pathway in Escherichia coli. (source version: Europe PMC indexed primary abstract and metadata only; retrieved 2026-10-11; digest covers complete JSON response)
Curation history
- claude-code
- CREATE — Add the complete source-defined pathway and generated network page
Original native pathway, Rhea reaction sides, independent identifiers and protein evidence are captured in research/pathway_additions/2026-10-11-next-198. Preserve taxon, assembly and source conflicts explicitly. Independent scientific review and full repository checks are recorded separately for this cohort.
- CREATE — Add the complete source-defined pathway and generated network page