Structure of RhodotorucineA, a Peptidyl Factor, Inducing Mating Tube Formation inRhodosporidium toruloides

Abstract

Rhodotorucine A, which induces mating tube formation in Rhodospridium toruloides, was found to be a novel peptide composed of eleven amino acid residues with a lipophilic group at the C-terminus. The amino acid sequence of the peptide was determined by Edman degradation and enzymatic hydrolyses. The C-terminus of rhodotorucine A was revealed to be S-farnesylcysteine by proton magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry and chemical synthesis. We proposed the following structure for rhodotorucine A. H–Tyr–Pro–Glu–Ile–Ser–Trp–Thr–Arg–Asn–Gly–Cys(S-farnesyl)–OH.