title: Studies on the biosynthesis of sym-homospermidine in sandal (Santalum album L.).
abstract: The biosynthesis of the newly isolated polyamine, sym-homospermidine (NH(2)-[CH(2)](4)-NH-[CH(2)](4) -NH(2)), was studied by using radioactive amino acids. Arginine was the most effective precursor, being about 10 times as active as ornithine. Unlabelled agmatine and putrescine markedly inhibited the incorporation of [(14)C]arginine into homospermidine. Similarly the incorporation of ornithine was inhibited by unlabelled arginine and putrescine. gamma-Aminobutyraldehyde, the oxidation product of putrescine, was considered to be one of the intermediates in the biosynthesis of homospermidine. The biosynthesis may involve a Schiff-base formation of putrescine with gamma-aminobutyraldehyde and subsequent reduction. A limited synthesis of spermidine also takes place under these conditions.
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes; D000578:Amidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001345:Autoradiography; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002854:Chromatography, Paper; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism; D009952:Ornithine / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011700:Putrescine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013095:Spermidine / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D000578:Amidines; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005971:Glutamates; D011073:Polyamines; D001120:Arginine; D009952:Ornithine; D013095:Spermidine; D011700:Putrescine