title: The enzymatic cleavage of beta-carotene: still controversial.
abstract: The enzyme beta-carotene-15,15'-dioxygenase from guinea pig intestinal mucosa was found to cleave beta-carotene and produce 2 mol of retinal for 1 mol of beta-carotene. However, extensive evidence exists also for random (excentric) cleavage, resulting in retinoic acid and retinal, with a preponderance of apocarotenals formed as intermediates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012172:Retinaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene; D050559:beta-Carotene 15,15'-Monooxygenase
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D014212:Tretinoin; D010105:Oxygenases; C493358:BCO1 protein, human; D050559:beta-Carotene 15,15'-Monooxygenase; D012172:Retinaldehyde