Zeaxanthin and menaquinone-7 biosynthesis in Sphingobacterium multivorum via the methylerythritol phosphate pathway

Feeding Of [1-C-13]glucose, [U-C-13]glucose, [1-C-13]alanine and [1-13C]ace tate to Sphingobacterium multivorum showed that this bacterium utilizes the methylerythritol phosphate pathway for the biosynthesis of menaquinone-7 a nd zeaxanthin, a carotenoid of industrial importance, Differential incorpor ation of the labeled precursors gave some insight into the preferred carbon sources involved in isoprenoid biosynthesis. (C) 2001 Federation of Europe an Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.