BIOSYNTHESIS OF VITAMIN-B12 - ISOLATION OF PRECORRIN-6X, A METAL-FREE PRECURSOR OF THE CORRIN MACROCYCLE RETAINING 5 S-ADENOSYLMETHIONINE-DERIVED PERIPHERAL METHYL-GROUPS

δ-Aminolevulinic acid and trimethylisobacteriochlorin are converted by cell-free protein preparations from Pseudomonas denitrificans into a metal-free pigment, precorrin-6x. This pigment, which accumulates when the cell-free system lacks NADPH, can be enzymically converted in high yield (>50%) into hydrogenobyrinic acid by the complete enzyme preparation. Double-labeling experiments establish that precorrin-6x carries five C-methyl groups, which appear at C-1, C-2, C-7, C-12α, and C-17 of the hydrogenobyrinic acid formed enzymically from precorrin-6x. This precursor of the corrin macrocycle is at the dehydrocorrin level of oxidation, has undergone ring contraction and extrusion of C-20, but still carries the acetic acid side chain at C-12. It is demonstrated that the conversion of precorrin-6x into hydrogenobyrinic acid specifically requires an NADPH-dependent reduction step.