Coenzyme A biosynthesis pathway enzyme

Coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis pathway enzymes are a group of enzymes that catalyze the sequential conversion of pantothenate (vitamin B5) to CoA, an essential cofactor involved in numerous metabolic reactions including fatty acid synthesis/oxidation and the citric acid cycle[1][6][7]. The canonical pathway in humans includes pantothenate kinase (PanK), phosphopantothenoylcysteine synthetase (PPCS), phosphopantothenoylcysteine decarboxylase (PPCDC), phosphopantetheine adenylyltransferase (PPAT), and dephospho-CoA kinase (DPCK), or in mammals, a bifunctional COASY (Coenzyme A synthase) enzyme[3][5][7]. The pathway is tightly regulated, particularly at the PanK step, and is essential in most organisms[3][5]. Enzymes in this pathway have been validated as antimicrobial and antiparasitic drug targets because pathogenic microorganisms often rely on de novo CoA synthesis, whereas humans acquire pantothenate from the diet and have slightly divergent enzymes, allowing for potential therapeutic selectivity[2][4][6][8][9]. Inhibition of these enzymes can lead to therapeutic effects in infections such as malaria or trypanosomiasis, but safety concerns remain due to the universal and central role of CoA metabolism in all cells[2][4][8].

Other names

Pantothenate pathway enzymeCoA biosynthetic enzymePanK (for Pantothenate kinase)PPCSPPCDCPPATDPCKCOASYetc.

Inhibition of enzyme activity in the CoA biosynthetic pathway; Disruption of pantothenate (vitamin B5) conversion to CoA