Biosynthesis of beta-(isoxazolin-5-on-2-yl)alanine, the precursor of the neurotoxic amino acid beta-N-oxalyl-L-alpha,beta-diaminopropionic acid.

beta-(Isoxazolin-5-on-2-yl)alanine (BIA), a biosynthetic precursor of the neurotoxic amino acid beta-N-oxalyl-L-alpha,beta-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP), was confirmed to be derived from O-acetyl-L-serine (OAS) and isoxazolin-5-one by cysteine synthase in higher plants. Some properties of this enzyme in the biosynthesis of BIA are described.