Pathway for the biosynthesis of 4-methyl-1-hexanol volatilized from petal tissue of Nicotiana sylvestris.

Compounds volatilized from plant tissues play important roles in plant-insect and plant-herbivore interactions and are important to food quality/preference, and to the perfume and flavorant industries. While the chemistry of plant volatiles is well understood, less is known about the biosynthesis of this diverse group of compounds. This is particularly the case for non-terpenoid components such as volatile acyclic alcohols and their esters. Here we have studied metabolic pathways leading to formation of the anteiso-branched alcohol 4-methyl-1-hexanol volatilized by petal tissue of Nicotiana sylvestris. Evidence presented supports the involvement of steps in the pathways of both biosynthesis and degradation of isoleucine to form 2-oxo-3-methylvaleric acid then 2-methylbutyryl CoA. Results indicate that 2-methylbutyryl CoA is then elongated by addition of one acetate molecule via fatty acid synthase, followed by reduction to yield 4-methyl-1-hexanol. This pathway is in contrast to elongation of 2-oxo-3-methylvaleric acid via alpha-keto acid elongation leading to the formation of 4-methylhexanoyl acyl groups of tobacco leaf-trichome-secreted sugar esters.