A protocol to separate the intermediates on the biosynthetic pathway t
o pantothenate on HPLC is described. Feeding experiments with L-[U-C-1
4]valine to pea leaf disks result in incorporation of radioactivity in
to 2-ketoisovalerate, ketopantoyl lactone, and pantoyl lactone, provid
ing the first experimental evidence that the biosynthetic pathway to p
antothenate is the same in plants and bacteria.