Biosynthesis of thiamine. Incorporation experiments with 14C-labelled substrates and with [15N]glycine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1. Yeast was grown in a minimal synthetic medium together with a range of (14)C-labelled substrates under standardized conditions. After isolation, the purified thiamine was cleaved by sulphite and the pyrimidine and thiazole moieties were purified and assayed for radioactivity. 2. In order of decreasing incorporation, (14)C]formate, 3-(14)C]serine, 2-(14)C]glycine and 2-(14)C]acetate supplied label for the pyrimidine, and 2-(14)C]glycine, 3-(14)C]serine, 1-(14)C]glycine, (14)C]formate and 2-(14)C]acetate for the thiazole. Incorporation of label into the fragments from several other (14)C-labelled substrates, including Me-(14)C]- and 3,4-(14)C(2)]-methionine, was insignificant. 3. 3-(14)C]Serine was shown not to contribute label to C-2 of the thiazole ring. 4. Significant incorporation of nitrogen from (15)N]glycine into the thiazole moiety, but not into the pyrimidine moiety, was established. 5. It appears that C-2 and N-3 of the thiazole ring are formed from C-2 and the nitrogen atom of glycine, but the entire methionine molecule does not appear to be implicated.