Conversion of versiconal acetate to versiconal and versicolorin C in extracts from Aspergillus parasiticus
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1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409.
Abstract:
The primary product of hydrolysis of versiconal acetate catalyzed by porcine liver esterase and the 35-70% ammonium sulfate fraction from a soluble extract from mycelia of Aspergillus parasiticus was versiconal. Versiconal was stable at neutral pH for several hours and was rapidly converted to versicolorin C by treatment with 0.4 M HCl. The addition of NADPH to the 35-70% ammonium sulfate fraction resulted in conversion of versiconal acetate to both versiconal and versicolorin C. The conversion of versiconal acetate to versicolorin C in the cell-free system is proposed to involve an esterase and an NADPH-dependent cyclase.

