Ade2 Red Compound?

[SL Forsburg]

Chris Seidel wrote:
> 
> I'm looking for the name of the compound which accumulates
> in ade2 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and turns them RED!
> Any references would be very helpfull. I've searched and can
> find no specific or unambiguous references, so any information
> or references would be great. Thanks!
> 
> -Chris
> --------------------------------*
> (seidel at mendel.berkeley.edu)
> http://mendel.berkeley.edu/kane/

Ffrom Jones and Fink ("Amino Acids and Nucleotide Biosynthesis", 
 in _Molecular biology of the yeast Saccharomyces: 
Metabolism and Gene Expression_, 1982, p271), as they describe
the biosynthesis of adenine:

"Closure of the imidazole ring to yield phosphoribosylaminoimidazole 
(also called AIR) ....requires ATP.  The red pigment that accumulates 
in ade1 and ade2 mutants apparently derives from this intermediate."

I was always told it was SAICAR but that forms downstream of ade1/2 
function, so that must be in error.  As I recall, cells must also be
respiratory competent to develop the color. 

Hope this helps.

-- susan

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S L Forsburg                             
susan_forsburg at qm.salk.edu        
http://flosun.salk.edu/~forsburg
 "I don't speak for the Institute,         
 and the Institute doesnt speak for me."