title: Delta-aminolevulinic acid biosynthesis in Ustilago maydis.
abstract: A biosynthetic precursor of tetrapyrroles, delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), can be formed via two pathways: enzymatic condensation of glycine and succinyl-CoA by ALA synthase in animal mitochondria and some fungi, and the C5 pathway converting glutamate to ALA in plants, algae, archaea, and most bacteria. The two pathways are distinguishable using specifically radiolabeled compounds. The C1 of glutamate is lost during conversion to succinate in the TCA cycle, and the C2 of glycine is lost during conversion to acetyl-CoA on the way to glutamate. Desalted high-speed supernatants of Ustilago maydis sporidia extracts were assayed using specifically radiolabeled substrates. A significant amount of radiolabel was incorporated into ALA from 2-[14C]glycine. No radiolabel was incorporated into ALA from 1-[14C]glutamate. These results indicate that the basidiomycete yeast, Ustilago maydis, has active ALA synthase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS 67260, USA. mark.schneegurt@wichita.edu
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schneegurt
mesh_terms: D000624:5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014588:Ustilago / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; D000624:5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase; D005998:Glycine