Studies in relation to biosynthesis. VII. 2-Hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid in <i>Penicillium griseofulvum</i> Dierckx

Abstract

The general problem of the biosynthesis of depsides and depsidones is considered. Feeding experiments using sodium acetate isotopically labelled in the carboxyl group have demonstrated that the mould Penicillium griseofulvum Dierckx (Raistrick's strain P68) elaborates 2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid (VII) by the head-to-tail linkage of acetic acid units in accord with the hypothesis of Birch and Donovan (1953). This demonstration constitutes the first definite support for the hypothesis based on bio- chemical experiments.