Biosynthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid: involvement of a retention–inversion mechanism

Abstract

It has previously been shown that in the bio-synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid the pro-2R-hydrogen atom of glycine is removed; the present work shows that the pro-2S-hydrogen atom of the precursor glycine occupies the S-configuration at C-5 of 5-aminolevulinic acid.