Biosynthesis of sporidesmin from amino acids

Abstract
Sporidesmin labelled with carbon–14 or sulphur–35 has been isolated from cultures of Pithomyces chartarum grown in medium containing radioactive tryptophan, alanine, serine, glycine, methionine, cysteine, or sulphate. The pattern of incorporation suggests that the biosynthesis of the toxin involves condensation of tryptophan with alanine, carbon for the methyl and methoxyl groups being supplied by methionine.