Biosynthesis of food constituents: Vitamins. 1. Fat-soluble vitamins - a review

Abstract

This review article gives a survey of the generally accepted biosynthetic pathways that lead to fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, the corresponding provitamins, and the closely related ubiquinones and plastoquinones) in animals, plants, and microorganisms. Extensively used are reaction schemes, sequences, and mechanisms with the enzymes involved, with detailed explanations using chemical principles and mechanisms.

Keywords

• biosynthesis
• vitamin a
• vitamin d
• vitamin e
• vitamin k
• retinal
• 3,4-didehydroretinol
• retinoids
• 7-dehydrocholesterol
• cholecalciferol
• ergosterol
• ergocalciferol
• tocopherols
• tocotrienols
• ubiquinones
• plastoquinones
• phylloquinone
• menaquinones