Summary
Pericarp disks from the fruit of the jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis) when exposed to 14CO2 for 2 days carried out photosynthesis and the canavanine extracted from the tissue was labeled with the radioisotope. When beef liver arginase was allowed to react with this canavanine the products were homoserine, canaline, urea and an unknown compound. The activity ratio of C4:C1 compounds was close to 2:1. No label could be detected in the canavanine from leaves exposed in the same way to 14CO2 and it was concluded that normally canavanine synthesis occurs in the pericarp chlorenchyma.
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References
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University of Tennessee, Department of Botany, Contribution N. Ser. No. 361.
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Warren, R.P., Hunt, G.E. The biosynthesis of canavanine from 14CO2 and its asymmetric labeling in isolated pericarp, tissue of Canavalia ensiformis . Planta 100, 258–261 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387041
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387041