Abstract
The antibiotic cerulenin was shown to be a potent dose-dependent inhibitor of de novo fattyacid biosynthesis in intact isolated chloroplasts of different plants (measured as [14C]acetate incorporation into the total fatty-acid fraction). Various chemical derivatives of cerulenin were synthesized and tested in the chloroplast assay-system of oat, spinach and pea. Modifications of the hydrocarbon chain of cerulenin (e.g. tetrahydro-cerulenin and its short-chain cis-2,3-epoxy-4-oxoheptanamide derivative) decreased the inhibitory activity of cerulenin, whereas variations of the epoxy-oxo-amide structural element led to a complete loss of inhibition potency. The results indicate that the naturally occurring antibiotic cerulenin is the most active specific inhibitor of de novo fatty-acid biosynthesis, but the formation of the hydroxylactam ring seems to be an essential requirement for the inhibitory activity. Those structural analogues of cerulenin, which can no longer form a hydroxylactam ring, do not possess any inhibitory capacity.
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