Shikimate Pathway: Aromatic Amino Acids and Beyond

The shikimate pathway proper is the common metabolic route to the three aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. These amino acids serve as building blocks for all proteins and as precursors for a large number of secondary metabolites. Keywords: chorismate; phenylalanine; tyrosine; tryptophan; secondary metabolites