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Title: Enzymatic aryl-O-methyl-/sup 14/C labeling of model lignin monomers

Abstract

Aryl-O-methyl ethers are abundant in aerobic and anaerobic environments. In particular, lignin is composed of units of this type. Lignin monomers specifically radiolabeled in methoxy, side chain, and ring carbons have been synthesized by chemical procedures and are important in studies of lignin synthesis and degradation, humus formation, and microbial O-demethylation. In this paper attention is drawn to an enzymatic procedure for preparing O-methyl-/sup 14/C-labeled aromatic lignin monomers which has not previously been exploited in microbial ecology and physiology studies and which has several advantages compared with chemical synthesis procedures. O-(methyl-/sup 14/C)vanillic and O-(methyl-/sup 14/C)ferulic acids were prepared with S-(methyl-/sup 14/C)adenosyl-L-methionine as the methyl donor, using commercially obtained porcine liver catechol-O-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.6). The specific activity of the methylated products was the same as that of the methyl donor, a maximum of about 58 ..mu..Ci/..mu..mol, and the yields were 42% (vanillate) and 35% (ferulate). Thus lignin monomers are readily prepared as O-methylated products of the catechol-O-methyltransferase reaction and, with this enzyme method of preparation, would be more widely available than labeled compounds which require chemical synthesis.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
New York Univ. Medical Center, NY
OSTI Identifier:
5126039
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 51:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; LIGNIN; LABELLING; MONOMERS; BIOSYNTHESIS; TRANSFERASES; ENZYME ACTIVITY; CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS; TRACER TECHNIQUES; CARBOHYDRATES; ENZYMES; ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS; LABELLED COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; POLYSACCHARIDES; SACCHARIDES; SYNTHESIS; 550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques

Citation Formats

Frazer, A C, Bossert, I, and Young, L Y. Enzymatic aryl-O-methyl-/sup 14/C labeling of model lignin monomers. United States: N. p., 1986. Web.
Frazer, A C, Bossert, I, & Young, L Y. Enzymatic aryl-O-methyl-/sup 14/C labeling of model lignin monomers. United States.
Frazer, A C, Bossert, I, and Young, L Y. 1986. "Enzymatic aryl-O-methyl-/sup 14/C labeling of model lignin monomers". United States.
@article{osti_5126039,
title = {Enzymatic aryl-O-methyl-/sup 14/C labeling of model lignin monomers},
author = {Frazer, A C and Bossert, I and Young, L Y},
abstractNote = {Aryl-O-methyl ethers are abundant in aerobic and anaerobic environments. In particular, lignin is composed of units of this type. Lignin monomers specifically radiolabeled in methoxy, side chain, and ring carbons have been synthesized by chemical procedures and are important in studies of lignin synthesis and degradation, humus formation, and microbial O-demethylation. In this paper attention is drawn to an enzymatic procedure for preparing O-methyl-/sup 14/C-labeled aromatic lignin monomers which has not previously been exploited in microbial ecology and physiology studies and which has several advantages compared with chemical synthesis procedures. O-(methyl-/sup 14/C)vanillic and O-(methyl-/sup 14/C)ferulic acids were prepared with S-(methyl-/sup 14/C)adenosyl-L-methionine as the methyl donor, using commercially obtained porcine liver catechol-O-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.6). The specific activity of the methylated products was the same as that of the methyl donor, a maximum of about 58 ..mu..Ci/..mu..mol, and the yields were 42% (vanillate) and 35% (ferulate). Thus lignin monomers are readily prepared as O-methylated products of the catechol-O-methyltransferase reaction and, with this enzyme method of preparation, would be more widely available than labeled compounds which require chemical synthesis.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5126039}, journal = {Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 51:1,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986}
}