A Naturally Occurring Pyrimidodiazepine in Drosophila: Chemical and Spectral Properties and Relationship to Drosopterin

K. Bruce Jacobson, Dale Dorsett, W. Pfleiderer, James A. McCloskey, Satinder K. Sethi, Michelle V. Buchanan, Ira B. Rubin

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    20 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    The structure of an intermediate, in drosopterin biosynthesis, as 6-acetylpyrimidodiazepine has been confirmed by high-resolution mass spectra, 13C NMR, chemical ionization mass spectra, and chemical properties. A trivial name of 6-acetylhomopterin is suggested and should replace the term “quench spot” used heretofore. The structure of drosopterin includes, in part, a pyrimidodiazepine, a compound that consists of a fused six- and seven-membered heterocyclic ring system. Earlier studies demonstrated that 6-acetylhomopterin strongly stimulated the enzymatic synthesis of drosopterin and related eye pigments by preparations from Drosophila. The occurrence in nature is quite limited for diazepines; drosopterin and homopterin are the first examples in eukaryotes.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)5700-5706
    Number of pages7
    JournalBiochemistry
    Volume21
    Issue number22
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 1982

    Funding

    FundersFunder number
    National Institute of General Medical SciencesR01GM029812
    National Institute of General Medical Sciences

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