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. 2020 Jan 20;30(2):R55-R56.
doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.049.

Cobamides

Kristopher J Kennedy  1 , Michiko E Taga  2
Affiliations

Cobamides

Kristopher J Kennedy et al. Curr Biol. .

Abstract

Vitamin B12 is the only known essential human micronutrient made exclusively by prokaryotes. Kennedy and Taga introduce us to the world of cobamides-those cobalt-containing compounds, like B12, that appear to be the proprietary domain of our microbial partners.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Cobamides – forms and functions.
(A) B12 is a cobamide essential for human health. (B) Cobamides function as coenzymes in numerous metabolic pathways within all domains of life. (C) Diverse cobamides are produced by bacteria and used by other members of a microbial community.
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MeSH terms