The METABOLISM OF Β,γ-Dihydroxy-Β-Methylvaleric ACID BY LIVER HOMOGENATES

The biosynthesis of polyisoprenoids

“…Since it is now known that only one enantiomorph ofmevalonate is used, and that one-sixth of the radioactivity of this is lost on the way to cholesterol, the yield first reported was, indeed, slightly more than 100 per cent, but the excess would be within experimental error. Soon afterwards, Tavormina and Gibbs 19 showed that radioactivity in the carboxyl group of mevalonate was not incorporated at all into cholesterol, but lost as carbon dioxide during biosyn thesis. To all workers on polyisoprenoid biosynthesis, these discoveries came like an answer to prayer.…”

Fifty Years of the Synthesis of Labelled Mevalonic Acid

“…The original trivial 4 3 rat liver homogenates. [2- 14 C]Mevalonolactone, (±)-2 14 C]bromoacetate 4 5 and found to 1,2 In 1957, [5][6][7] it the C 5 6 mevalonic acid.…”