Carboxylation and hydroxylation are technical terms for organic, biochemical reactions, or reactions that occur in life forms, from plants to people. While carboxylation and hydroxylation can occur apart from proteins, these reactions occur primarily with proteins when they happen in the human body.
Carboxylation
Carboxylation is a chemical reaction common in both organic chemistry and biochemistry. The basic chemical reaction results in the addition of a carboxylic acid to a chemical compound. The acid gets its name from the three elements -- carbon, oxygen and hydrogen -- which have atoms present in the acid. This process requires carboxy-lysases, which are enzymes that catalyze the chemical reaction, according to the National Library of Medicine. Carboxy-lysases are also used in decarboxylation, in which a carboxylic acid is removed from a chemical compound.
Biochemical Carboxylation
Biochemical carboxylation typically occurs in proteins, resulting in the conversion of glutamic acid residues into another form. In humans, this reaction is primarily involved in the body’s ability to clot blood. The proteins involved in this process must first go through the carboxylation process in your liver before they're able to help your blood coagulate. The carboxylase that your body uses for this, gamma-glutamyl carboxylase -- also uses vitamin K as a cofactor in the reaction.
Hydroxylation
Hydroxylation is a biochemical reaction in which a hydroxyl group -- or chemical compound comprised of oxygen and hydrogen atoms -- is added to another organic compound. Hydroxylation can be used for various biological processes, like converting waste compounds into easily excreted forms or activating certain medications. Like carboxylation, hydroxylation is also catalyzed by special enzymes, called hydroxylases. Some of these hydroxylases include enzymes such as dopamine beta-hydroxylase, cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, phenylalanine hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase.
Hydroxylation of Proteins
Hydroxylation primarily occurs in proteins, altering their structure. The main component of proteins that is hydroxylated is proline. This chemical reaction plays an essential part in repairing skin and damaged tissues, since the hydroxylation of proline creates hydroxyproline, an important component of collagen. Lysine is also another commonly hydroxylized amino acid. According to Lippincott’s "Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry," the hydroxylases involved in the hydroxylation of both lysine and proline are dependent on vitamin C as a cofactor -- just like carboxylases need vitamin K.
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