Synthesis of sedoheptulose from non-dialyzable, endogenous substrates in mammalian tissue extracts

Sedoheptulose was observed to be formed at the rate of 12-120 nmol/g tissue/h in dialyzed rat and bovine tissue homogenates. The compound was identified by its gas-chromatographic retention time and by its mass spectrum. A standard of [14C]-sedoheptulose was prepared from D-[14C]fructose 6-phosphate and D-erythrose 4-phosphate for use in radioactive gas-chromatographic analysis in studies of possible precursors of the sedoheptulose. The reaction was stimulated by NAD+. Evidence is presented to show that non-dialyzable sedoheptulose 7-phosphate may be the endogenous precursor. These results show that care must be exercised when using crude enzyme preparations and extremely sensitive analytical methods so that chromatographically unresolved products formed from non-dialyzable, endogenous substrates of low molecular weight do not introduce significant error in the analysis of the expected product.