Showing chemical card for Ureidoisobutyric acid (CFc000001361)
Record Information
Version
1.0
Creation Date
2022-08-28 10:25:12 UTC
Update Date
2022-09-13 18:45:58 UTC
Chemfont ID
CFc000001361
Molecule Identification
Common Name
Ureidoisobutyric acid
Definition
Ureidoisobutyric acid, also known as 3-ureidoisobutyrate or beta-UBA, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as ureas. Ureas are compounds containing two amine groups joined by a carbonyl (C=O) functional group. Ureidoisobutyric acid is an extremely weak basic (essentially neutral) compound (based on its pKa). Ureidoisobutyric acid exists in all living organisms, ranging from bacteria to humans. Within humans, ureidoisobutyric acid participates in a number of enzymatic reactions. In particular, ureidoisobutyric acid can be biosynthesized from dihydrothymine through its interaction with the enzyme dihydropyrimidinase. Outside of the human body, ureidoisobutyric acid has been detected, but not quantified in, several different foods, such as bread, squashberries, black elderberries, black crowberries, and climbing beans. This could make ureidoisobutyric acid a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. Ureidoisobutyric acid is increased in the urine of patients with beta-ureidopropionase (EC 3.5.1.6) deficiency (PMID: 12271438 ), a genetic disorder. Ureidoisobutyric acid can be used to predict a patient's individual phenotypes of enzyme deficiencies in pyrimidine metabolism when associated with a risk for severe toxicity against the antineoplastic agent 5-fluorouracil (PMID: 12798197 ).