Methionine as the source of methyl groups for ubiquinone and vitamin K: A study using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry

Abstract

1. 1. [ Me- 2H]Methione was used as a tracer to determine the origin of the methyl groups in vitamin K 2 (MK-8) and ubiquinone (Q-8) in Escherichia coli. 2. 2. The methyl group of methionine is the source of the ring-methyl group of vitamin K 2 and the C-methyl and O-methyl groups of the ring of ubiquinone. The 2H was not incorporated elsewhere in the quinones. 3. 3. The use of the techniques of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry to give easily interpretable results on small amounts of material without the need for chemical degradation, is described.