Biochemistry and Physiology of Thiamin Diphosphate Enzymes : Proceedings of the International Meeting on the Function of Thiamin Diphosphate Enzymes Book

More than half a century after the first isolation of thiamin, the scientific interest in this compound still persists, reflecting its key role in cell metabolism and in the nervous system.

These proceedings survey the present understanding of the physiological functions of thiamin diphosphate and the various enzymes that depend on it (e.g.decarboxylases, alpha-oxoacid dehydrogenases and transketolase). Stereochemical and kinetic aspects of their catalytic mechanisms, interaction and regulation, and cloning of their genes are discussed. In addition, the importance of ThDP-dependent enzymes in brain metabolism and in pathological dysfunctions in the nervous system is described.

Special Feature: The recently discovered contribution of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex to certain autoimmune diseases is dealt with, adding yet another dimension to the physiological role of the enzymes which depend on this long-known vitamin.