HOW NATURE BUILDS THE PIGMENTS OF LIFE - THE CONQUEST OF VITAMIN-B-12

In part because humans cannot synthesize vitamin B-12 and must obtain it from organisms that produce it and because B-12 deficiency leads to pernicious anemia, it has been important to understand how microorganisms build this quite complex substance. As shown here, an interdisciplinary attack was needed, which combined the strengths of genetics, molecular biology, enzymology, chemistry, and spectroscopy. This allowed the step-by-step synthetic pathway of B-12 to be elucidated, and this approach has acted as a model for future research on the synthesis of substances in living organisms. One practical outcome of such an approach has been the improved availability of B-12 for animal feedstuffs and human health.