Chorismic acid, more commonly known as its anionic form chorismate, is an important biochemical intermediate in plants and microorganisms.

It is a precursor for: The name chorismic acid derives from a classical Greek word χωρίζω meaning "to separate",[2] because the compound plays a role as a branch-point in aromatic amino acid biosynthesis.

[3] Shikimate → shikimate-3-phosphate → 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (5-O-(1-carboxyvinyl)-3-phosphoshikimate) Chorismate synthase is an enzyme that catalyzes the final chemical reaction: Chorismate is transformed into para-aminobenzoic acid by the enzymes 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate synthase and 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate lyase.

Chorismate lyase is an enzyme that transforms chorismate into 4-hydroxybenzoate and pyruvate.

This enzyme catalyses the first step in ubiquinone biosynthesis in Escherichia coli and other Gram-negative bacteria.