The α-aminoadipate pathway is a biochemical pathway for the synthesis of the amino acid -lysine. In the eukaryotes, this pathway is unique to several species of yeast, higher fungi (containing chitin in their cell walls), and the euglenids. It has also been reported from bacteria of the genus Thermus and also in Pyrococcus horikoshii, potentially suggesting a wider distribution than previously thought. This uniqueness of the pathway makes it a potentially interesting target for antimycotics.