Synthesis of arabinitol 1-phosphate and its use for characterization of arabinitol–phosphate dehydrogenase Original Research Article

d-Arabinitol 1-phosphate (Ara-ol1-P), a substrate for d-arabinitol–phosphate dehydrogenase (APDH), was chemically synthesized from d-arabinonic acid in five steps (O-acetylation, chlorination, reduction, phosphorylation, and de-O-acetylation). Ara-ol1-P was used as a substrate for the characterization of APDH from Bacillus halodurans. APDH converts Ara-ol1-P to xylulose 5-phosphate in the oxidative reaction; both NAD+ and NADP+ were accepted as co-factors. Kinetic parameters for the oxidative and reductive reactions are consistent with a ternary complex mechanism.