These two succinylpurines are the dephosphorylated derivatives of SAICA ribotide (SAICAR) and adenylosuccinate (S-AMP), the two substrates of adenylosuccinate lyase (ASL), which catalyzes an important reaction in the de novo pathway of purine biosynthesis.
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ASL catalyzes two distinct reactions in the synthesis of purine nucleotides, both of which involve the β-elimination of fumarate to produce either aminoimidazole carboxamide ribotide (AICAR) from SAICAR or adenosine monophosphate (AMP) from S-AMP.
AICAR |
In 2009, the French Anti-Doping Agency, suspected that AICAR had been used in the 2009 Tour de France.