Studies on the biosynthesis of corrinoids and porphyrinoids. II. The origin of nitrogen of vitamin B12.

To clarify the origin of nitrogen of vitamin B12, 15N-labeled aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was prepared and administered to Propionibacterium shermanii. Vitamin B12 thus isolated showed four signals in the nitrogen-15 nuclear magnetic resonance (15N-NMR) spectrum. The nitrogen of [5-15N]riboflavine was incorporated into the benzimidazole part of vitamin B12. Hydroxycobalamin was transformed into cyanocobalamin by treatment with [15N]potassium cyanide, and the 15N-NMR spectrum was measured. The results of these experiments revealed the origin of the nitrogen atoms of vitamin B12, and allowed the 15N-NMR signals to be assigned.