Ketopantoic acid
Ketopantoic acid is the organic compound with the formula HOCH22CCCO2H. At physiological conditions, ketopantoic acid exists as its conjugate base, ketopantoate 2CC.
Biosynthetic context
Its biosynthesis proceeds from ketoisovalerate by hydroxymethylation:This conversion is catalyzed by ketopantoate hydroxymethyltransferase, which gives ketopantoate.
Ketopantoate is substrate for 2-dehydropantoate 2-reductase, which produces -pantoic acid, a precursor to pantothenic acid, a common prosthetic group.