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Published February 1957 | public
Journal Article

The Biosynthesis of the Triterpene, Eburicoic Acid: The Utilization of Methyl-labeled Acetate

Abstract

The C_(31)-triterpene, eburicoic acid, has been biosynthesized by allowing P. sulfureus to grow on a medium containing methyl-labeled acetate. By degradation of the acid, it has been shown that the carboxyl carbon, C_(21), and the two methyl groups, C_(30) and C_(31), of the gem-dimethyl group of ring A are derived from the methyl of acetate. Such a distribution is predicted on the basis of the squalene hypothesis of a "universal" biosynthetic mechanism leading to both the triterpenes and the sterols. It also was found that the extra carbon atom, C_(28), found on C_(24) of the side-chain is not derived from acetate.

Additional Information

© 1957 American Chemical Society. Received July 16, 1956. This work was supported, in part, by grant No. AT(11-1)-34, Project No. 16, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. [JRH] National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellow, 1954-1955.

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 23, 2023