What is shikimic pathway?

The shikimic pathway is a metabolic pathway used by plants and some microorganisms to produce aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan) and several other important metabolites such as folate, ubiquinone, and plastoquinone. It starts with the initial substrate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and proceeds through seven enzymatic steps to produce chorismate, which is a key branch point intermediate that leads to the biosynthesis of the above-mentioned aromatic amino acids and other metabolites. It is named after its starting compound, shikimate, which is a seven-carbon molecule that is derived from the pentose phosphate pathway or glycolysis. The shikimic pathway is essential for the survival of many organisms, and it is the target of several herbicides and antibiotics because of its crucial role in the biosynthesis of various compounds that are important to various metabolic processes.