Possibility of 2,4,5-triamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine as an intermediate in the pathway of riboflavin biosynthesis.

It was studied with resting cells of a high flavinogenic mold, Eremothecium ashbyii, whether or not 2,4,5-triamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (THP) is an intermediate in the early pathway of riboflavin biosynthesis. A small amounts of THP strongly inhibited riboflavin formation in the resting cells, but the inhibition was effectively reversed by the added purines, except for adenine. Radioactive tracer experiments showed that the incorporation of the radioactivity from [2-14C]THP into riboflavin was negligible. The results obtained strongly suggest that THP is not an intermediate but a rigid inhibitor for riboflavin formation, and thus there is non salvage pathway of THP for the pathway of riboflavin biosynthesis in resting cells of E. ashbyii.