Osvaldo Cori Moully, Chilean biochemist (Antofagasta 11 August 1921 – Santiago de Chile 02 April 1987)

From Italian father and Greek-born mother

Demonstrated and characterized chemically 6-phosphogluconolactone an intermediate of oxidation of glucose 6 phosphate

With F. Lipmann. The primary oxidation product of enzymatic glucose-6-phosphate oxidation. J. Biol. Chem. 194:417-25, 1952

Demonstrated the mechanism of phosphorylation at substrate level in Krebs cycle

With S. Kaufman, C. Gilvarg & S. Ochoa. Enzymatic oxidation of alpha-ketoglutarate and coupled phosphorylation. J. Biol. Chem. 203:869-88, 1953

Performed studies about kinetic, metabolism mechanism and specificity of potato apyrase (1961-6)

With A. Traverso-Cori & H. Chaimovich. Kinetic studies and properties of potato apyrase. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 109:173-84, 1965

Proposed and demonstrated neryl pyrophosphate as a new intermediate in monoterpenes biosynthesis

With P. Valenzuela, E. Beytia & A. Yudelevich. Phosphorylated intermediates of terpene biosynthesis in Pinus radiata. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 113:536, 1966

Proposed non-enzymatic models for explaining the role of metallic ions in enzymatic reactions of monoterpenes biosynthesis (1970s)

With G. George-Nascimento & R. Pont Lezica. Non enzymic formation of nerolydol from farnesyl pyrophosphate in the presence of bivalent cations. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 45:119-24, 1971

Enuciated or improved rules of chemical biosynthesis

Complementary rules to define R or S configuration. Viewing molecules from any side. J. Chem. Educat. 49:461, 1972

Showed a Redox system in Pinus sp. as an biosynthetic alternative for formation of some natural products in plants

Explained cis/trans conformation of allylic pyrophosphates produced in plant tissues

With L. Chayet, R. Pont Lezica & C. George-Nascimento. Biosynthesis of sesquiterpene alcohols and aldehydes by cell free extracts from orange flavedo. Phytochemistry 12:95-101, 1973

Papers in top journals

With F. Marcus & A. Traverso-Cori. Participation of adenine nucleotides in the proposed direct pathway of biosynthesis of N-phosphorylcreatine. Nature 194:476, 1962

With F. Abarca, R. Frenkel & A. Traverso-Cori. Synthesis of phosphocreatine by enzymes from heart and skeletal muscle. Nature 178:1231-3, 1956

Others

With G. Portilla & L. Chayet. Secondary plant metabolism and enzyme mechanisms. Arch. Biol. Med. Exp. 15:357-64, 1982

Enzymic regulation in plant enzymes. Monogr. Nat. Cancer Inst. 27:41, 1967