Studies of polyketide chain assembly processes: incorporation of [2-13C]malonate into averufin in Aspergillus parasiticus

Abstract

Analysis of the ¹³C n.m.r. spectrum of averufin (1) enriched by feeding diethyl [2-¹³C]malonate to cultures of Aspergillus parasiticus shows high and equal incorporation of ¹³C-label at nine positions to indicate a clear acetate ‘starter’ effect; thus averufin is a decaketide, not an octaketide derived from a hexanoate starter and seven malonates as suggested by recent studies.