Tetrapyrrole
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Tetrapyrroles are compounds containing four pyrrole rings. With the exception of corrin, the four pyrrole rings are interconnected through one-carbon (methine or methylene) bridges, either in a linear or cyclic fashion.
Linear tetrapyrroles, using three one-carbon bridges, include:
- Bilanes (e.g. bilirubin)
- Phycobilins (found in cyanobacteria)
Cyclic tetrapyrroles, using four one-carbon bridges, include:
- Porphyrins (e.g. heme)
- Chlorophylls
Corrins are cyclic tetrapyrroles that have replaced one of the conventional methine bridges with a direct interpyrrole bond.
| Major families of biochemicals | ||
| Peptides | Amino acids | Nucleic acids | Carbohydrates | Nucleotide sugars | Lipids | Terpenes | Carotenoids | Tetrapyrroles | Enzyme cofactors | Steroids | Flavonoids | Alkaloids | Polyketides | Glycosides | ||
| Analogues of nucleic acids: | Types of Tetrapyrroles | Analogues of nucleic acids: |
| Bilanes: | Bilirubin | Biliverdin | Urobilinogen | Urobilin | |
|---|---|---|
| Chlorophylls: | Protochlorophyllide | Chlorophyllide | |
| Corrinoids: | Cyanocobalamin | |
| Phycobilins: | Phycoerythrobilin | Phycocyanobilin | Phycourobilin | Phycoviolobilin | |
| Porphyrins: | Uroporphyrinogen (I, III) | Coproporphyrinogen (I, III) | Protoporphyrinogen IX | Protoporphyrin (IX) | |