INCORPORATION OF STEREOSPECIFICALLY DEUTERIATED TYROSINES INTO CALDARIELLAQUINONE IN SULFOLOBUS-ACIDOCALDARIUS

Cells of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius were grown in a medium containing a series of stereospecifically deuteriated tyrosines and the incorporation of these labelled tyrosines into caldariellaquinone (CQ) was measured. The results show that the C-3 pro-S hydrogen of either L-or D-tyrosine is retained during the transformation of these tyrosines to the benzothiophene moiety of CQ. The incorporation of both D- and L-tyrosine into the cellular protein indicates that these cells can readily convert D-tyrosine into L-tyrosine.