Abstract
1. Myo-Inositol was biosynthesized in the rat from differently labeled carbohydrate substrates and relative incorporation of isotope into inositols indicated glucose and galactose were the best precursors, suggesting that an intact 6-carbon unit serves as a precursor for inositol. n-Glucuronates, however, were not the direct precursor and the cleavage of inositol to glucuronate was not reversible.
2. C14-Distribution pattern in biosynthesized inositol, determined by three different methods, also strongly suggested that an intact 6-carbon unit converts directly to inositol and that smaller molecular units serve as precursors for inositol only after conversion to hexoses.
3. Specific incorporation of radiocarbon into inositol from glucose was higher in kidney and accessory organs than in othertissues.
Some of the initial experiments were performed in collaboration with Dr. F. Eisenberg, Jr., at the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Metabolism, National Instituse of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, under the direction of Dr. D. Stetten, Jr. My departure from the laboratory and his (F. E.) official trip abroad unfortunately prevented the continued collaboration, which was originally contemplated.
The author wishes to express his deep gratitude to Prof. M. Yasuda with whose encouragement this work has been continued.
The work was supported with the Damon Runyon Memorial Fund and the Tokyo Biochemical Society.
