Abstract: The conversion of a-ketoisovaleric acid (a-KIVA) to ketopantoate by the 5, lO- methylenetetrahydrofolate-dependent enzyme ketopantoate hydroxymethyltransferase (KHMT) in E. coli has been shown to proceed in a retention mode at the P-position of a- KIVA. 5, lO-Methylenetetrahydrofolate formed in vivo by serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) from stereospecifically deuterated (3S-dl) serine was converted by KHMT into an ...