abstract
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The biosynthesis of lycopodine was studied by feeding radioactive acetate, acetoacetato, lysine and pelletierine to Lycopodium tristachyum. Partial degration of the radioactive lycopodine recovered from these experiments revealed specific incorporation of these precursors. The labeling pattern obtained is discussed in the light of the two major blogenetic hypothesis advanced for the Lycopodium alkaloids.
The results obtained disproved Conroy's polyacetate hypothesis. They are consistent with the hypothesis that regards these alkaloids derived from lysine and acetate.