Gibberellin Biosynthesis in Maize. Metabolic Studies with GA(15), GA(24), GA(25), GA(7), and 2,3-Dehydro-GA(9)

[17-(14)C]-Labeled GA(15), GA(24), GA(25), GA(7), and 2,3-dehydro-GA(9) were separately injected into normal, dwarf-1 (d1), and dwarf-5 (d5) seedlings of maize (Zea mays L.). Purified radioactive metabolites from the plant tissues were identified by full-scan gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Kovats retention index data. The metabolites from GA(15) were GA(44), GA(19), GA(20), GA(113), and GA(15)-15,16-ene (artifact?). GA(24) was metabolized to GA(19), GA(20), and GA(17). The metabolites from GA(25) were GA(17), GA(25) 16alpha,17-H(2)-17-OH, and HO-GA(25) (hydroxyl position not determined). GA(7) was metabolized to GA(30), GA(3), isoGA(3) (artifact?), and trace amounts of GA(7)-diene-diacid (artifact?). 2,3-Dehydro-GA(9) was metabolized to GA(5), GA(7) (trace amounts), 2,3-dehydro-GA(10) (artifact?), GA(31), and GA(62). Our results provide additional in vivo evidence of a metabolic grid in maize (i.e. pathway convergence). The grid connects members of a putative, non-early 3,13-hydroxylation branch pathway to the corresponding members of the previously documented early 13-hydroxylation branch pathway. The inability to detect the sequence GA(12) --> GA(15) --> GA(24) --> GA(9) indicates that the non-early 3,13-hydroxylation pathway probably plays a minor role in the origin of bioactive gibberellins in maize.