Neurosporaxanthin, beta-apo-4'-carotenoic acid (C35), represents the end-product of the carotenoid pathway in Neurospora crassa. It is supposed to be synthesized in three steps catalyzed by sequential AL-2, CAO-2 and YLO-1 activities: (i) cyclization of 3,4-didehydrolycopene (C40); (ii) cleavage of torulene into beta-apo-4'-carotenal (C35); and finally (iii) oxidation of beta-apo-4'-carotenal. However
Neurosporaxanthin,β-apo-4'-
胡萝卜酸(C35)代表了Neurospora crassa中类
胡萝卜素途径的终产物。据推测,它是由连续的A
L-2,CAO-2和YLO-1活性催化的三个步骤合成的:(i)3,4-二氢
番茄红素(C40)的环化;(ii)将
甲苯裂解为β-apo-4'-
胡萝卜素(C35);最后(iii)氧化β-apo-4'-
胡萝卜素。但是,对ylo-1突变体的分析揭示了除β-apo-4'-
胡萝卜素以外的中间体的积累。在这里,我们生成了一个3,4-二氢
番茄红素积聚的大肠杆菌菌株,并表明CAO-2在体内和体外裂解了这种无环
胡萝卜素,产生了apo-4'-lycopenal。然后将ylo-1突变体中积累的阿朴类
胡萝卜素鉴定为apo-4'-lycopenal和apo-4'-lycopenol,指出前者是YLO-1底物,并表明环化是神经孢黄质
生物合成的最后一步。通过分析缺乏