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. 1970 Apr;117(3):593–600. doi: 10.1042/bj1170593

Biosynthesis of phytoquinones. Homogentisic acid: a precursor of plastoquinones, tocopherols and α-tocopherolquinone in higher plants, green algae and blue–green algae

G R Whistance 1, D R Threlfall 1
PMCID: PMC1178964  PMID: 4986835

Abstract

1. By means of 14C tracer experiments and isotope competition experiments the roles of d-tyrosine, p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid, p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, phenylacetic acid, homogentisic acid and homoarbutin (2-methylquinol 4-β-d-glucoside) in the biosynthesis of plastoquinones, tocopherols and α-tocopherolquinone by maize shoots was investigated. It was established that d-tyrosine, p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid and homogentisic acid can all be utilized for this purpose, whereas p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, phenylacetic acid and homoarbutin cannot. Studies on the mode of incorporation of d-tyrosine, p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid and homogentisic acid showed that their nuclear carbon atoms and the side-chain carbon atom adjacent to the nucleus give rise (as a C6-C1 unit) to the p-benzoquinone rings and nuclear methyl groups (one in each case) of plastoquinone-9 and α-tocopherolquinone and the aromatic nuclei and nuclear methyl groups (one in each case) of γ-tocopherol and α-tocopherol. 2. By using [14C]-homogentisic acid it has been shown that homogentisic acid is also a precursor of plastoquinone, tocopherols and α-tocopherolquinone in the higher plants Lactuca sativa and Rumex sanguineus, the green algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Euglena gracilis and the blue–green alga Anacystis nidulans.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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