TEPIDOPTERIN, (L-THREO-BIOPTERIN-2'-YL)-BETA-N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE FROMCHLOROBIUM-TEPIDUM

A novel pterin compound, designated as tepidopterin, was detected from a thermophilic photosynthetic green sulphur bacterium, Chlorobium tep idum. The amount of tepidopterin inside the cell was estimated to be 2 -5 mu mol g(-1) dry weight of cell. This compound was purified through a high performance Liquid chromatography using preparative DeltaPak C -18 column. This compound was characterized by chromatographic behavio r and by absorption and fluorescence properties. Its structure was det ermined to be (L-threo-biopterin-2'-yl)-beta-N-acetylglucosamine by 1D - and 2D-NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and CD. The relative amou nt of tetrahydrotepidopterin was estimated to be 96.7% inside the cell , that of dihydrotepidopterin 2.9%, and that of fully oxidized tepidop terin 0.4%. The amount of tepidopterin within the cell increased conti nuously until the beginning of the stationary phase of the cell growth . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.