Construction of Fluorescent Analogs to Follow the Uptake and Distribution of Cobalamin (Vitamin B 12 ) in Bacteria, Worms, and Plants

Abstract

Vitamin B12 is made by only certain prokaryotes yet is required by a number of eukaryotes such as mammals, fish, birds, worms and Protista, including algae. There is still much to learn about how this nutrient is trafficked across the domains of life. Herein, we describe ways to make a number of different corrin analogues with fluorescent groups attached to the main tetrapyrrole-derived ring. A further range of analogues were also constructed by attaching similar fluorescent groups to the ribose ring of cobalamin, thereby generating a range of complete and incomplete corrinoids to follow uptake in bacteria, worms and plants. By using these fluorescent derivatives we were able to demonstrate that Mycobacterium tuberculosis is able to acquire both cobyric acid and cobalamin analogues, that Caenorhabditis elegans takes up only the complete corrinoid, and that seedlings of higher plants such as Lepidium sativum are also able to transport B12