title: The biosynthetic pathway to a novel derivative of 4,4'-diapolycopene-4,4'-oate in a red strain of Sporosarcina aquimarina.
abstract: In a red bacterial strain SF238 belonging to Sporosarcina aquimarina, a C(30) carotenoid biosynthetic pathway was identified. It has been reconstructed by analysis of intermediates that accumulate in two different pigment mutants. It starts with the synthesis of 4,4'-diapophytoene and proceeds with its desaturation to 4,4'-diapolycopene, which is then oxidized to 4,4'-diapolycopene-4,4'-dioate. Using a combination of HPLC-PDA and LC-MS/MS analyses, the final product of this pathway was identified as acetyl-4,4'-diapolycopene-4,4'-dioate. This is a novel carotenoid not reported in any organisms to date. It could be demonstrated that this carotenoid has excellent antioxidative properties to protect from photosensitized peroxidation reactions like other related 4,4'-diapolycopene-4,4'-dioate derivatives.
authors.affiliation: Biosynthesis Group, Molecular Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Biocenter, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steiger
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perez-Fons
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sandmann
mesh_terms: D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D058644:Sporosarcina / Q000378:metabolism*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D002338:Carotenoids