title: S-Adenosyl-L-methionine: Columbamine-O-methyl transferase, a compartmentalized enzyme in protoberberine biosynthesis.
abstract: Suspension cultures of Berberis wilsoniae var. subcaulialata and B. aggregata are a useful source for the detection, partial purification and characterization of a new enzyme which specifically transfers the methyl group from (S)-adenosyl-L-methionine to the 2-OH-position of columbamine, thus producing palmatine. The enzyme was enriched approx. 30-fold; it is situated in a vesicle with the density ρ=1.14, has a pH-optimum of 8.9, a molecular weight of 52 kD and shows a high degree of substrate specificity.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Pharmazeutische Biologie der Universität München, Karlstr. 29, D-8000, München 2, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rueffer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zenk