| shikimic acid | <chemical> Chemical name: 1-Cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-, (3R-(3alpha,4alpha,5beta))- (12 Dec 1998) |
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| shikimic acid pathway | <biochemistry> Metabolic pathway in plants and microorganisms, by which the aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan) are formed from phosphoenolpyruvate and erythrose 4 phosphate via shikimic acid. The aromatic amino acids in turn serve as precursors for the formation of lignin and other phenolic compounds in plants. Inhibitors of this pathway are used as herbicides. (18 Nov 1997) |