Biosynthesis of asteltoxin by cultures of Emericella variecolor. The role of propionate in the biosynthesis and evidence for a 1,2-bond migration in the formation of the bistetrahydrofuran moiety

Abstract

The incorporation of [1-¹³C]propionate, (2S)-[methyl-¹³C]methionine, and[1,2-¹³C₂]acetate into asteltoxin by cultures of Emericella variecolor point to the operation of two biosybthetic pathways; the arrangement of intact acetate units in aseteltoxin derived from [1,2-¹³C₂]acetate proves that a 1,2-bond migration during the biosynthesis.