Phosphoribosyl amine (PRA) is an intermediate in purine biosynthesis and also required for thiamine biosynthesis in Salmonella enterica. PRA is normally synthesized by phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP) amidotransferase, a high-turnover enzyme of the purine biosynthetic pathway encoded by purF. However, PurF-independent PRA synthesis has been observed in strains with different genetic backgrounds and growing under diverse conditions. Genetic analysis has shown that the anthranilate synthase-phosphoribosyltransferase (AS-PRT) enzyme complex, involved in the synthesis of tryptophan, can play a role in the synthesis of phosphoribosyl amine (PRA). This work describes the in vitro synthesis of PRA in the presence of the purified components of AS-PRT complex. Results from in vitro assays and in vivo studies indicate the cellular accumulation of phosphoribosyl anthranilate can result in non-enzymatic PRA formation sufficient for thiamine synthesis. These studies have uncovered a mechanism used by cells to redistribute metabolites to ensure thiamine synthesis, and may define a general paradigm of metabolic robustness
