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Thiamine-dependent Accumulation of Tetramethylpyrazine Accompanying a Mutation in the Isoleucine-Valine Pathway

Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065

ABSTRACT

A mutant of Corynebacterium glutamicum was found to accumulate high concentrations of a material which crystallized upon cooling of the broth. The compound was identified as tetramethylpyrazine. The mutant was found to require isoleucine, valine, leucine, and pantothenate for growth. All four requirements probably result from the loss of a single enzyme of the isoleucine-valine pathway. Since similar mutants of Neurospora crassa accumulate acetoin, the present mutant probably forms tetramethylpyrazine from acetoin. Accumulation of tetramethylpyrazine was dependent upon addition of thiamine. This observation is consistent with the known activity of diphosphothiamine as a cofactor for the formation of acetolactate (a precursor of acetoin) from pyruvate.