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Conformational Similarities of Vitamin D and Cholesterol as Enzyme Substrates

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Abstract

INVESTIGATIONS of the synthesis of vitamin D long chain fatty acid esters found in rats have indicated that cholesterol-specific esterifying enzymes in the small intestine and plasma have vitamin D as substrate1. Specificity studies show that the substrate conformation required by the pancreatic esterifying enzyme is a β configuration of a C(3)-hydroxy group, an A/B-trans-decalin configuration and an intact, preferably saturated B-ring2–5. Vitamin D in the form of ergo or cholecalciferol satisfies none of these requirements, but it is a suitable substrate for this enzyme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dunn Nutritional Laboratory, Milton Road, Cambridge

    D. R. FRASER & E. KODICEK

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  1. D. R. FRASER
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  2. E. KODICEK
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FRASER, D., KODICEK, E. Conformational Similarities of Vitamin D and Cholesterol as Enzyme Substrates. Nature 220, 1031–1032 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/2201031a0

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