Phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. In ecology, because of its important role in biological systems, phosphate is a highly sought after resource. Once used, it is often a limiting nutrient in environments, and its availability may govern the rate of growth of organisms. In biological systems, phosphorus is found as a free phosphate ion in solution and is called inorganic phosphate, to distinguish it from phosphates bound in various phosphate esters. Inorganic phosphate is generally denoted Pi, and at physiological (neutral) pH primarily consists of a mixture of HPO4(2-) and H2PO4(-) ions. Phosphates in cells are most commonly found in the form of adenosine phosphates (AMP, ADP and ATP) and in DNA and RNA and can be released by the hydrolysis of ATP or ADP. In addition, the addition and removal of phosphate from proteins in all cells (by kinases and phosphatases) is a pivotal strategy in the regulation of metabolic processes. (Wikipedia) Because the addition and removal of phosphates to and from biochemical compounds is so common, inorganic phosphate (Pi) is involved in a huge number of reactions in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Also, many Pseudomonas aeruginosa enzymes are activated or inhibited by phosphate. (EcoCyc) Some processes that phosphates (Pi) are involved with in Pseudomonas aeruginosa are oxidative phosphorylation, where a phosphate is added to ADP to make ATP, and biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, a component of bacterial cell walls. (KEGG)
This compound belongs to the class of inorganic compounds known as non-metal phosphates. These are inorganic non-metallic compoundscontaining a phosphate as its largest oxoanion.
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