On the role of leucine in terpenoid metabolism
Abstract
Incorporation of [2-13C]-, [3-13C]-, (4R)-[5-13C]- and (4S)-[5-13C]-leucines into paniculide by tissue cultures of Andrographis paniculata shows that (a)(3S)-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) from leucine breakdown is not incorporated direct into mevalonic acid (MVA) but that (b) both the acetyl-CoA and acetoacetate produced by leucine breakdown via HMG-CoA are subsequently incorporated into HMG-CoA and MVA.