Generation of formic acid and ethanolamine from serine in biosynthesis of linear gramicidin by a cell-free preparation of Bacillusbrevis (ATCC 8185)

A growing organism that produces antibiotic peptide was incubated with L-(U-¹⁴C)serine for labeling linear gramicidin. Linear gramicidin was isolated by a simple chromatographic method from tyrothricin (mixture of linear gramicidin and tyrocidine) applied to a column of basic aluminum oxide. The hydrolysate of labeled linear gramicidin on thin layer chromatography showed that L-(U-¹⁴C)serine was one of a precursor of ethanolamine moiety by autoradiography. L-(3-¹⁴C)serine generated formic acid in the presence of tetrahydrofolic acid by an enzyme fraction prepared with ammonium sulfate, and further formed ethanolamine binding to the protein. Formylvaline was biosynthesized by it with tetrahydrofolic acid and ATP, and subsequently released from the protein.