A simplified procedure for synthesizing large quantities of highly purified uridine [β-32P]diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine

A simplified procedure for the synthesis of [β-32P]UDP-N-acetylglucosamine is described. This novel method utilizes commericially available enzymes, chemical acetylation, and preparative thin-layer chromatography and can be used to synthesize millicurie quantities of the sugar nucleotide at an extremely high specific activity and purity.