The immediate nucleotide precursor, guanosine triphosphate, in the riboflavin biosynthetic pathway

In the present paper, the nucleotide precursor of riboflavin was investigated by experiments with labeled purines using non-growing cells of Eremothecium ashbyii. The added purines, at 10-4M, were effectively incorporated into riboflavin at an early stage of riboflavin biosynthesis under the experimental conditions. In particular, both labeled xanthine and labeled guanine were specifically transported to guanosine nucleotides, GMP, GDP, GDP-Mannose and GTP, in the course of the riboflavin biosynthesis. A comparison of specific activities of labeled guanosine nucleotides and labeled riboflavin indicated that the nucleotide precursor of riboflavin is guanosine triphosphate. From the results obtained, a biosynthetic pathway of riboflavin is proposed. (auth.)