Biosynthesis is the set of enzyme-catalysed anabolic processes by which living cells construct complex molecules from simpler precursors, building the carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and specialised metabolites required for life. These pathways are organised as ordered sequences of reactions in which…
Biosynthesis is the set of enzyme-catalysed anabolic processes by which living cells construct complex molecules from simpler precursors, building the carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and specialised metabolites required for life. These pathways are organised as ordered sequences of reactions in which each step is mediated by a specific enzyme, frequently consuming energy and reducing equivalents and subject to regulation that balances supply with demand. Biosynthesis encompasses both primary metabolism, such as the formation of amino acids and their derivatives and the synthesis of steroid hormones through dedicated steroidogenic enzymes, and secondary metabolism that yields bioactive compounds in plants and microbes. It is tightly linked to cofactor and vitamin metabolism, illustrated by pathways involving vitamin B6 and pterin cofactors whose disruption causes inherited metabolic disease, and to redox enzymes that both drive synthesis and influence oxidative balance. Disturbances in biosynthetic pathways underlie diverse conditions, while microbial and plant biosynthesis is harnessed for biotechnological production of useful bioproducts. Research in this area examines the enzymes and intermediates of specific pathways, the genetic and environmental factors that regulate them, and the ways biosynthetic capacity can be exploited or restored in health, agriculture, and industry.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 69 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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