Biosynthesis of Vitamin B12: Mode of Incorporation of Factor III into Cobyrinic Acid

Extensive chemical degradation of cobyrinic acid biosynthesized from a sample of factor III radiochemically labeled in its three methyl groups demonstrates that label is retained exclusively in the two methyl groups at positions C-2 and C-7 and confirms that the C-20 methyl group of the precursor is lost during formation of the corrin ring system.