BIOSYNTHESIS OF BROMINATED TYROSINE METABOLITES BY APLYSINA-FISTULARIS

The biosynthesis of brominated tyrosine metabolites by the marine sponge Aplysina fistularis was invesdgated. [U-C-14)-L-Tyrosine, [U-C-14]-L-3-bromotyrosine, and [U-C-14]-L-3,5-dibromotyrosine were incorporated into both dibromoverongiaquinol [1] and aeroplysinin-1 [2], and [methyl-C-14]methionine was specifically incorporated into the O-methyl group of 2. [Methyl-C-14]-L-O-meehyltyrosine, [methyl-C-14]-L-3,5-dibromo-O-methyltyrosine, and several putative nitrile precursors were not incorporated into 1 or 2.