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. 1968 Apr;107(3):417–426. doi: 10.1042/bj1070417

Studies in phytosterol biosynthesis. Mechanism of biosynthesis of cycloartenol

H H Rees 1, L J Goad 1, T W Goodwin 1
PMCID: PMC1198679  PMID: 4297048

Abstract

1. The mechanism of cycloartenol biosynthesis in leaves of Solanum tuberosum was investigated with the use of [2-14C,(4R)-4-3H1]mevalonic acid. 2. The 3H/14C atomic ratio in cycloartenol was 6:6, the same as that in squalene; this eliminates lanosterol as a possible biosynthetic precursor of cycloartenol, and indicates that a hydrogen migration from C-9 to C-8 occurs. 3. Chemical isomerization of the cycloartenol to lanosterol (3H/14C ratio 5:6) and parkeol (3H/14C ratio 6:6) confirms the hydrogen migration from C-9 to C-8. 4. Possible mechanisms for the biosynthesis of cycloartenol and parkeol are discussed. 5. The 3H/14C ratio for 24-methylenecycloartanol was 6:6, demonstrating that the hydrogen atom at C-24 is retained during alkylation of the cycloartenol side chain.

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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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