Incorporation of (2-14C, (5r)-5-3H1) mevalonic acid into cholesterol by a rat liver homogenate and into beta-sitosterol and 28-isofucosterol by larix decidua leaves.
1. Incubation of a rat liver homogenate with 3R-[2-(14)C,(5R)-5-(3)H(1)]mevalonic acid gave cholesterol with (3)H/(14)C atomic ratio 6:5. 2. Conversion of the labelled cholesterol into 3beta-acetoxy-6-nitrocholest-5-ene or cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione resulted in the loss of one tritium atom from C-6. 3. These results show that during cholesterol biosynthesis the 6alpha-hydrogen atom of a precursor sterol is eliminated during formation of the C-5-C-6 double bond. 4. Incorporation of 3R-[2-(14)C,(5R)-5-(3)H(1)]mevalonic acid into the sterols of larch (Larix decidua) leaves gave labelled cycloartenol and beta-sitosterol with (3)H/(14)C atomic ratios 6:6 and 6:5 respectively. 5. One tritium atom was lost from C-6 on conversion of the labelled beta-sitosterol into either 3beta-acetoxy-6-nitrostigmast-5-ene or stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione, demonstrating that formation of the C-5-C-6 double bond of phytosterols also involves the elimination of the 6alpha-hydrogen atom of a precursor sterol. 6. The 3R-[2-(14)C,(5R)-5-(3)H(1)]mevalonic acid was also incorporated by larch (L. decidua) leaves into a sterol that co-chromatographed with 28-isofucosterol. Confirmation that the radioactivity was associated with 28-isofucosterol was obtained by co-crystallization with carrier 28-isofucosterol and ozonolysis of the acetate to give radioactively labelled 24-oxocholesteryl acetate. 7. The significance of these results to phytosterol biosynthesis is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013261:Sterols / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014316:Tritium
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D013261:Sterols; D014316:Tritium; D002784:Cholesterol; D008798:Mevalonic Acid