Biosynthetic Studies of ω-Cycloheptyl Fatty Acids in Alicyclobacillus cycloheptanicus. Formation of Cycloheptanecarboxylic Acid from Phenylacetic Acid

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Abstract
The formation of the structurally novel, mono-substituted cycloheptane ring in ω-cycloheptyl fatty acids in Alicyclobacillus cycloheptanicus (formerly Bacillus cycloheptanicus) has been examined. Feeding experiments with 13C- and 2H-labeled intermediates demonstrated that cycloheptanecarboxylic acid (3), probably as its CoA thioester, is the starter unit for ω-cycloheptyl fatty acid biosynthesis. Analysis of the resultant labeling pattern from a feeding experiment with [U-13C6]glucose suggested a shikimate pathway origin of 3 via aromatic amino acids. [1,2-13C2]Phenylacetic acid (6) was efficiently metabolized into the 3-derived moiety in a manner reminiscent of the seven-membered ring Pseudomonas metabolite thiotropocin. The fates of the aromatic and benzylic hydrogens of 6 were determined; these dictated various boundary conditions for the biosynthetic pathway from 6 to 3. Taken together with the results from feeding experiments with postulated cycloheptenylcarboxylate biosynthetic intermediates, the data lead us to propose a pathway which involves an oxidative ring-expansion of 6 to a hydroxynorcaradiene intermediate followed by a series of double bond reductions and dehydrations to the saturated 3.

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