10-Formyltetrahydrofolate (10-CHO-THF) is a form oftetrahydrofolate that acts as a donor offormyl groups inanabolism. In these reactions 10-CHO-THF is used as asubstrate in formyltransferase reactions.

10-Formyltetrahydrofolate

Names
Preferred IUPAC name (2S)-2-[4-(N-{[(6Ξ)-2-Amino-4-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydropteridin-6-yl]methyl}formamido)benzamido]pentanedioic acid
Other names 10-CHO-THF 10-FormylH4folate N10-Formyltetrahydrofolate
Identifiers
CAS Number	2800-34-2 N
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	109092 Y
KEGG	C00234
MeSH	10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate
PubChemCID	135450591
CompTox Dashboard(EPA)	DTXSID60903987
InChI InChI=1S/C20H23N7O7/c21-20-25-16-15(18(32)26-20)23-11(7-22-16)8-27(9-28)12-3-1-10(2-4-12)17(31)24-13(19(33)34)5-6-14(29)30/h1-4,9,11,13,23H,5-8H2,(H,24,31)(H,29,30)(H,33,34)(H4,21,22,25,26,32)/t11?,13-/m0/s1 Y Key: AUFGTPPARQZWDO-YUZLPWPTSA-N Y
SMILES c1cc(ccc1C(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)O)C(=O)O)N(CC2CNc3c(c(=O)nc([nH]3)N)N2)C=O
Properties
Chemical formula	C20H23N7O7
Molar mass	473.44 g/mol
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

Two equivalents of 10-CHO-THF are required inpurine biosynthesis through thepentose phosphate pathway, where 10-CHO-THF is a substrate forphosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase.

10-CHO-THF is required for the formylation ofmethionyl-tRNA formyltransferase to givefMet-tRNA.^[1]

10-CHO-THF is produced frommethylenetetrahydrofolate (CH₂H₄F) via a two step process. The first step generates5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate:^[2]

CH₂H₄F + NAD⁺${\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons }$  CH₂H₂F + NADH + H⁺

In the second step 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate undergoes hydrolysis:

CH₂H₂F + H₂O${\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons }$  CHO-H₄F +

The latter is equivalently written:

5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate + H₂O${\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons }$  10-formyltetrahydrofolate

10-CHO-THF is also produced by the reaction

ATP +formate + tetrahydrofolate${\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons }$  ADP + phosphate + 10-formyltetrahydrofolate

This reaction is catalyzed byformate-tetrahydrofolate ligase.

It can be converted back intotetrahydrofolate (THF) byformyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase or THF and formate byformyltetrahydrofolate deformylase.