Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Formaldehyde as an Acceptor Aldehyde for Transketolase, and the Biosynthesis of Triose

Nature volume 181, page 1790 (1958)Cite this article

Abstract

THE enzyme transketolase is biologically widely distributed, and, in presence of thiamine pyrophosphate and magnesium ions, transfers the ketol group or ‘active glycolaldehyde’ (CH2OH.CO…H) from a variety of ketose phosphates (sedoheptulose 7-phosphate, D-fructose 6-phosphate, D-xylulose 5-phosphate), from certain free ketoses (L-erythrulose, D-xylulose) and from hydroxypyruvic acid to certain ‘acceptor aldehydes’, thus synthesizing new ketoses. The ‘acceptor aldehydes’ hitherto recognized are D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, D-ribose 5-phosphate, D-erythrose 4-phosphate and 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate; also free glyceraldehyde and glycolaldehyde (for reviews see refs. 1–3). Acetaldehyde and formaldehyde are stated not to be acceptors4, but the former appears in our preliminary tests to be weakly active.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Racker, E., “Adv. in Enzym.”, 15, 141 (1954).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gunsalus, I. C., Horecker, B. L., and Wood, W. A., Bact. Rev., 19, 79 (1955).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Dickens, F., Ann. New York Acad. Sci. (in the press).

  4. Haba, G. de la, Leder, I. G., and Racker, E., J. Biol. Chem., 214, 409 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Dickens, F., and Williamson, D. H., Biochem. J., 68, 74 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bublitz, C., and Kennedy, E. P., J. Biol. Chem., 211, 951 (1954).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Ichihara, A., and Greenberg, D. M., J. Biol. Chem., 224, 331 (1957).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sallach, H. J., J. Biol. Chem., 223, 1101 (1956).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Friedmann, B., Levin, H. W., and Weinhouse, S., J. Biol. Chem., 221, 665 (1956).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Dickens, F., Proc. Internat. Symp. Enzyme Chemistry, Tokyo and Kyoto, Paper No. 122 (1957).

  11. Dickens, F., and Williamson, D. H., Biochem. J., 68, 84 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Courtauld Institute of Biochemistry, Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London, W.1

    F. DICKENS & D. H. WILLIAMSON

Authors
  1. F. DICKENS
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. H. WILLIAMSON
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DICKENS, F., WILLIAMSON, D. Formaldehyde as an Acceptor Aldehyde for Transketolase, and the Biosynthesis of Triose. Nature 181, 1790 (1958). https://doi.org/10.1038/1811790a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1811790a0

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing