BIOSYNTHESIS OF AXENOMYCIN-D - INCORPORATION OF C-13-LABELED PRECURSORS INTO THE MENADIONE CHROMOPHORE, DEOXYSUGARS AND THE AXENOLIDE

Experiments on the biosynthesis of the menadione chromophore of axenom ycin D in Streptomyces lisandri resulted in the specific incorporation of label from L-[C-13-Me]methionine, [1-C-13]propionate, [2,3-C-13(2) ]propionate, [3-C-13]propionate, [U-C-13(3)]glycerol and [U-C-13(6)]gl ucose. The data indicate that the menadione chromophore is derived fro m a metabolite of the shikimate pathway. The mode of incorporation sho ws, however, that the biosynthesis of the menadione chromophore of axe nomycins differs from the biosynthesis of the menadione chromophore of menaquinones.