The enzymatic and mass spectrometric identification of 2-oxophytanic acid, a product of the peroxisomal oxidation of l-2-hydroxyphytanic acid.

A previously unreported metabolite of the mammalian phytanic acid breakdown pathway, 2-oxophytanic acid, was isolated and analysed by mass spectrometry. The metabolic origin of the 2-oxoacid is the oxidation by a rat kidney peroxisomal H2O2-generating oxidase of L-2-hydroxyphytanic acid, a well-established intermediate in phytanic acid alpha-oxidation.