3-Hydroxy-4-methylkynurenine as an intermediate in actinomycin biosynthesis.

tryptophan1.2). The formation of 3-hydroxy-4-methylanthranilic acid probably involves a diversion of the well-known metabolic pathway leading to the formation of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid from L-tryptophan2). However, the mechanismof transmethylation of the aromatic ring has not been examined to the extent of determining which of the alternative compounds mentioned in Fig. 1 is the pentultimate precursor for actinocin formation. Wehave studied the possibility that 3hydroxy-4-methylkynurenine might be an