title: Biosynthetic route towards saxitoxin and shunt pathway.
abstract: Saxitoxin, the most potent voltage-gated sodium channel blocker, is one of the paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) produced by cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates. Recently, putative biosynthetic genes of PSTs were reported in these microorganisms. We previously synthesized genetically predicted biosynthetic intermediates, Int-A' and Int-C'2, and also Cyclic-C' which was not predicted based on gene, and identified them all in the toxin-producing cyanobacterium Anabaena circinalis (TA04) and the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense (Axat-2). This study examined the incorporation of (15)N-labeled intermediates into PSTs (C1 and C2) in A. circinalis (TA04). Conversions from Int-A' to Int-C'2, from Int-C'2 to Cyclic-C', and from Int-A' and Int-C'2 to C1 and C2 were indicated using high resolution-LC/MS. However, Cyclic-C' was not converted to C1 and C2 and was detected primarily in the extracellular medium. These results suggest that Int-A' and Int-C'2 are genuine precursors of PSTs, but Int-C'2 converts partially to Cyclic-C' which is a shunt product excreted to outside the cells. This paper provides the first direct demonstration of the biosynthetic route towards saxitoxin and a shunt pathway.
authors: Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiya, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8555, Japan.
authors: Shigeki
authors: S
authors: Tsuchiya
authors: Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiya, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8555, Japan.
authors: Yuko
authors: Y
authors: Cho
authors: Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiya, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8555, Japan.
authors: Keiichi
authors: K
authors: Konoki
authors: Faculty of Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Nagasawa
authors: Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan.
authors: Yasukatsu
authors: Y
authors: Oshima
authors: Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiya, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8555, Japan.
authors: Mari
authors: M
authors: Yotsu-Yamashita
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000378:metabolism*; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000737:chemistry; D012530:Saxitoxin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D012530:Saxitoxin