Localization and interconversion of tetrahydropteroylglutamates in isolated pea mitochondria

Abstract

1. Mitochondria were extracted from 4-day-old pea cotyledons and purified on a sucrose density gradient. 2. Microbiological assay of the purified mitochondrial fraction with Lactobacillus casei (A.T.C.C. 7469), Streptococcus faecalis (A.T.C.C. 8043) and Pediococcus cerevisiae (A.T.C.C. 8081) revealed a discrete pool of conjugated and unconjugated derivatives of tetrahydropteroylglutamic acid. 3. Solubilization and chromatographic studies of the mitochondrial fraction demonstrated the presence of formylated and methylated derivatives, 10-formyltetrahydropteroylmonoglutamic acid, 5-formyltetrahydropteroylmonoglutamic acid and 5-formyltetrahydropteroyldiglutamic acid being the major derivatives present. 4. The principal mitochondrial pteroylglutamates were labelled when dry seeds were allowed to imbibe [2-14C]pteroylglutamic acid and 5-[methyl-14C]-methyltetrahydropteroylmonoglutamic acid. 5. The ability of isolated mitochondria to catalyse oxidation and reduction of tetrahydropteroylglutamic acid derivatives was demonstrated in feeding experiments in which [14C]formaldehyde, [3-14C]serine, sodium [14C]formate, 5-[methyl-14C]methyltetrahydropteroylmonoglutamic acid or [2-14C]-glycine served as C1 donor. In addition,14C was incorporated into free amino acids related to C1 metabolism.