Question

Illustrate/describe the folate trap, or folate-vitamin B12 trap

Answer 1

Folate is a form of vitamin B essential for producing red blood cells and white blood cells.The daily requirement if it is 400microgram.

Folate trap is nothing but there is folate in the body stored in N5methyl Tetrahydrofolate (N5CH3THF) form but due to metabolic issues they are trapped there ftom releasing.

Let's seebhiw it actually happens

Methionine is an essential amino acid in the body it forms S Adenosine methionine(SAM) by methionine synthesis ==later into S Adenosine Homocysteine (SAH)== thus is converted into Homocysteine

The Homocysteine looks upon the demand of the body to produce either Methionine or cysteine

If cysteine is in demand then the enzyme cystathionine beta synthesis and coenzyme B6 acts to form Cystathionine==later this is acted by cystathionase enzyme to form cysteine.

If any mutation occurs during the stage if conversion of Homocysteine to Cystathionine the Homocysteine level increases and causing homocysteinemia and homocystonruria

If the body is in need of Methionine then an enzyme called methionine synthase takes role ==here it is acted by two enzymes namely methylcobalamine and a co enzyme namely B12== simultaneously there occurs an reaction in N5CH3THF (N5 Methyl Tetrahydrofolate) which stores folate== this is released in form of only THFZ== then it is converted into three derivative of THF == now when there is a deficiency of B12 and meyhylcobalamin it automatically cannot convert N5CH3THF into THF resulting in trapping of folate in it whichbis called as folate trap