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. 1973 Oct;116(1):235–244. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.1.235-244.1973

Identification of Prenol Intermediates of Wall Biosynthesis in Growing Cells of Lactobacillus plantarum

Kareen J I Thorne 1
PMCID: PMC246414  PMID: 4745415

Abstract

The incorporation of 14C-mevalonic acid by Lactobacillus plantarum predominantly into C55 prenol made it possible to determine the distribution of 14C-prenol between all its derivatives. In logarithmic-phase cells, 25% of the prenol was free, 31% was as monophosphate, 4% as pyrophosphate, 12% as peptidoglycan precursor, and 28% as glyco-phospho-prenol. The glyco-phospho-prenol contained rhamnose, and probably glucose, galactose, and ribitol phosphate, and it may, therefore, be involved in polysaccharide and teichoic acid biosynthesis. The proportion of free prenol increased, up to 73%, as the cell culture aged. Free prenol was also formed when cells were incubated in buffer. The free prenol was readily reutilized when cells were returned to growth medium.

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Selected References

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