Biosynthesis of the neurotoxin alkaloid roquefortine

Abstract

[14C]-Labelled mevalonic acid, tryptophan, and histidine have been incorporated into roquefortine and quantitative formation of roquefortine from multiply deuteriated tryptophan by an auxotropic mutant of Penicillium roqueforti has shown that the hydrogen at the 2-position of the indole ring is lost in this conversion.