PHOSPHORYLATION OF FARNESOL BY A CELL-FREE SYSTEM FROM BOTRYOCOCCUS-BRAUNII

Farnesol was incorporated into squalene as well as botryococcenes when the alcohol was fed to the culture of Botryococcus braunii B race str ain. In in vitro experiments with a 10,000 x g supernatant of cell hom ogenate, squalene was synthesized from farnesyl diphosphate in the pre sence of NADPH or NADH, but botryococcenes were not synthesized under the same conditions. A 100,000 x g pelet fraction was able to phosphor ylate farnesol to give its mono- and diphosphate esters in a CTP depen dent manner. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.