Photosynthetic preparation of galactose‐13C6 and glycerol‐13C3 using a marine red alga

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The photosynthetic preparation of D‐galactose‐13C6 and glycerol‐13C3 from Gigartina corymbifera is described. The red marine algae biosynthesize the galactoside 2‐hydroxy‐1‐(hydroxymethyl)ethyl α‐D‐galactopyranoside (galactosylglycerol) during photosynthesis. The galactoside was isolated from an alcohol extract by an acetylation procedure and hydrolyzed to D‐galactose and glycerol. The average enrichment of the isolated products was 55 mol % 13C while the actual enrichment of newly synthesized material, determined by 13C nmr, was 80 mol % 13C after a photosynthetic period of 48 hr during which 90 mol % 13CO2 was administered. Thirty percent of the administered carbon was recovered in the products. The distribution of 13C in the galactose and glycerol was shown to be uniform by 13C nmr.