Zur Biogenese der Betacyane: Versuche mit [2-14C]-Dopaxanthin

On the biogenesis of betacyanins. Expaiments with [2-¹⁴C]-dopaxanthine Labelled dopaxanthine is prepared from betanin by a double exchange procedure replacing first its cyclodopa part by diethylamine and effecting the second exchange with 2-[¹⁴C]-dopa on the purified intermediate ‘DEA-betalain’; the specific activity delivered with the dopa allowed accurate determination of ? in the electronic spectrum of dopaxanthine (λ_max 488 nm, ? = 41.800). The C(2)-labelled dopaxanthine is incubated into the fruits of Opuntia bergeriana. The incorporation rates into betanin are found to correspond approximately to those obtained in earlier experiments with labelled dopa alone: Only 1--5% of the label showed up in the cyclodopa moiety of the betanin (which is isolated as cyclodopa-glucoside) whereas 99--95% of the radioactivity was associated with the betalamic acid part (recovered in form of indicaxanthine).