Investigation of early molybdopterin biosynthetic intermediates
- Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)
Little information is available regarding the early steps in the biosynthetic pathway of molybdopterin (MPT). In order to explore these early reactions, and in particular to investigate the origin of the ring and side chain carbons of MPT, a metabolic approach employing the incorporation of {sup 14}C label was chosen. This method was facilitated by the recent purification and characterization of desulfomolybdopterin 2{prime},4{prime}-cyclic phosphate, the precursor which is converted directly to active molybdopterin in Escherichia coli by the addition of vicinal sulfurs to the side chain. This labile precursor readily oxidizes to Compound Z, a stable 6-alkyl pterin which retains all of the carbon atoms present in molybdopterin. Compound Z, rather than molybdopterin itself was chosen as the end product for labeling due to its overproduction in some MPT-deficient strains, as well as its stability and ease of purification. The authors report here the isolation of {sup 14}C-labelled Compound Z from E.coli chlN cells cultured in minimal media supplemented with U-{sup 14}C guanosine. Successive cleavage of the side chain carbons by permanganate treatment and UV light produced a decrease in the specific radioactivity of the resulting pterins. These data indicate that the early portion of the molybdopterin biosynthetic pathway may be similar to that of the bioactive pterins folate and biopterin, both of which are derived from guanosine triphosphate.
- OSTI ID:
- 5374414
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9104107-; CODEN: FAJOE
- Journal Information:
- FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States), Vol. 5:4; Conference: 75. annual meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), Atlanta, GA (United States), 21-25 Apr 1991; ISSN 0892-6638
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
METALLOPROTEINS
BIOSYNTHESIS
MOLYBDENUM
METABOLISM
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
ESCHERICHIA COLI
TRACER TECHNIQUES
BACTERIA
CARBON COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology