Thin-layer chromatographic assay for HMG-CoA reductase and mevalonic acid

An improved TLC system for the isolation and quantitation of mevalonic acid is described. This method has been applied to a variety of biological systems. The identification of the biological product as mevalonic acid has been confirmed by rechromatography with mevalonic acid standards. The procedure is simple, reproducible, and suitable for large numbers of HMG-CoA reductase assays. The system equals available GLC methods in sensitivity and is decidedly faster, particularly if large numbers of analyses are to be performed. Using a purified bacterial HMG-CoA reductase we obtained excellent agreement between a spectral assay and the TLC method presented. Prior extraction of mevalonic acid may be omitted if less exact results will suffice. Although the method is proposed for assay of HMG-CoA reductase, it is applicable to isolation and quantitation of mevalonolactone from a variety of biological systems.