Purine metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

The synthesis, interconversion, and catabolism of purine bases, ribonucleosides, and ribonucleotides in wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae were studied by measuring the conversion of radioactive adenine, hypoxanthine, guanine, and glycine into acid-soluble purine bases, ribonucleosides, and ribonucleotides, and into nucleic acid adenine and guanine. The pathway(s) by which adenine is converted to inosinate is (are) uncertain. Guanine is extensively deaminated to xanthine. In addition, some guanine is converted to inosinate and adenine nucleotides. Inosinate formed either from hypoxanthine or de novo is readily converted to adenine and guanine nucleotides.