Incorporation of l-[ Me- 2H 3]methionine into isoprenoid quinones and related compounds by Euglena gracilis

Abstract

1. 1. The incorporation of 2H from l-[ Me- 2H 3]methionine into monohydroxy-phylloquinone, 1- O-methyl phytylplastoquinol, phytylplastoquinone, plastoquinone-9, α-tocopherolquinone, α-tocopherol, rhodoquinone-9 and ubiquinone-9 by Euglena gracilis has been investigated. 2. 2. The results showed that the S-methyl group of l-methionine gives rise to the 3-methyl and 5- and 6- O-methyl groups of ubiquinone-9, the 3-methyl and 5- O-methyl groups of rhodoquinone-9, the 2-methyl group of phylloquinone, the 1- O-methyl group and one of the two nuclear methyl groups of 1- O-methyl phytylplastoquinol, one of the two nuclear methyl groups of phytylplastoquinone and plastoquinone-9 and two of the three methyl groups on the aromatic ring of α-tocopherol and the p-benzoquinone ring of α-tocopherolquinone. 3. 3. In all cases the O-methyl and C-methyl groups are introduced by transmethylation reactions.