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The biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides in higher plants. The (E)- and (Z)-isomers of p-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde oxime as intermediates in the biosynthesis of dhurrin in Sorghum bicolor (L. ) Moench

Journal Article · · Journal of Biological Chemistry; (USA)
OSTI ID:5085711
; ;  [1]
  1. Royal Veterinary and Agricultural Univ., Frederiksberg C (Denmark)

The biosynthesis of the tyrosine-derived cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin has been studied with a microsomal preparation obtained from etiolated seedlings of sorghum. The biosynthetic pathway involves tyrosine, N-hydroxytyrosine, and p-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde oxime as early intermediates. The use of deuterium-labeled tyrosine and mass spectrometric analyses demonstrate that the alpha-hydrogen atom of tyrosine is retained in the conversion of tyrosine to p-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde oxime. This excludes p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid oxime as intermediate in the pathway. A high pressure liquid chromatography method was developed to separate the (E)- and (Z)-isomers of p-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde oxime. The microsomal enzyme system was found to produce initially the (E)-isomer of p-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde oxime. An isomerase then converts the (E)-isomer to the (Z)-isomer, which is the isomer preferentially utilized by the microsomal enzyme system in the subsequent biosynthetic reactions. The (E)-isomer produced in situ is more efficiently converted to the (Z)-isomer than exogenously added (E)-isomer and may thus be metabolically channeled.

OSTI ID:
5085711
Journal Information:
Journal of Biological Chemistry; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Biological Chemistry; (USA) Vol. 264:33; ISSN JBCHA; ISSN 0021-9258
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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