INCORPORATION OF C-13-LABELED 5-EPI-ARISTOLOCHENE INTO CAPSIDIOL IN GREEN-PEPPER SEEDLINGS

As a part of investigations on the biosynthesis and induction mechanisms of capsidiol, a green pepper phytoalexin, we focussed our attention on the enzymatic oxidation of 5-epi-aristolochene, a non-oxidized elemophilane biosynthetic intermediate, to capsidiol. We examined the optimum conditions for capsidiol production and the direct incorporation of 5-epi-aristolochene into capsidiol for enzymatic study. We found that green pepper seedlings were easily prepared and produced a large amount of capsidiol, and that it directly converted C-13-labelled 5-epi-aristolochene to capsidiol in 42%.