Editing Formaldehyde (section)

==Biochemistry==
Formaldehyde is produced via several enzyme-catalyzed routes.<ref name= Kamps/> Living beings, including humans, produce formaldehyde as part of their metabolism. Formaldehyde is key to several bodily functions (e.g. [[epigenetic]]s<ref name=Chang/>), but its amount must also be tightly controlled to avoid self-poisoning.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=J |last2=Chen |first2=W |last3=Zhang |first3=J |last4=Zhao |first4=H |last5=Cui |first5=J |last6=Wu |first6=J |last7=Shi |first7=A |title=Dual effects of endogenous formaldehyde on the organism and drugs for its removal. |journal=Journal of Applied Toxicology |date=27 September 2023 |volume=44 |issue=6 |pages=798–817 |doi=10.1002/jat.4546 |pmid=37766419|s2cid=263125399}}</ref>

* [[Serine hydroxymethyltransferase]] can decompose [[serine]] into formaldehyde and [[glycine]], according to this reaction: HOCH<sub>2</sub>CH(NH<sub>2</sub>)CO<sub>2</sub>H → CH<sub>2</sub>O + H<sub>2</sub>C(NH<sub>2</sub>)CO<sub>2</sub>H.
* [[Methylotroph]]ic microbes convert methanol into formaldehyde and energy via [[methanol dehydrogenase]]: CH<sub>3</sub>OH → CH<sub>2</sub>O + 2e<sup>−</sup> + 2H<sup>+</sup>
* Other routes to formaldehyde include oxidative [[demethylation]]s, [[semicarbazide]]-sensitive [[amine oxidase]]s, [[dimethylglycine dehydrogenase]]s, [[lipid peroxidase]]s, [[P450 oxidase]]s, and ''N''-methyl group demethylases.<ref name= Kamps/>

Formaldehyde is catabolized by [[alcohol dehydrogenase]] [[ADH5]] and [[aldehyde dehydrogenase]] [[ALDH2]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nakamura |first1=Jun |last2=Holley |first2=Darcy W. |last3=Kawamoto |first3=Toshihiro |last4=Bultman |first4=Scott J. |title=The failure of two major formaldehyde catabolism enzymes (ADH5 and ALDH2) leads to partial synthetic lethality in C57BL/6 mice |journal=Genes and Environment |date=December 2020 |volume=42 |issue=1 |page=21 |doi=10.1186/s41021-020-00160-4|doi-access=free |pmid=32514323 |pmc=7268536 |bibcode=2020GeneE..42...21N}}</ref>