STUDIES ON WHEAT PLANTS USING CARBON-14 COMPOUNDS: XIII. INCORPORATION OF α-AMINO ADIPIC ACID-6-C14 IN WHEAT PLANTS

Abstract

α-Amino adipic acid-6-C14 was injected into the stems of wheat plants and the distribution of carbon-14 in the mature plants was studied. About 80% of carbon-14 injected was recovered in the plants, the kernels alone accounting for 56%.Glutamic acid, labelled predominantly in carbon-5, was the most radioactive compound isolated from wheat kernels, a result in accord with the concept that acetate-1-C14 was a product of α-amino adipic acid-6-C14 metabolism in the wheat plant.The specific activity of the lysine of the protein was low and hence the data provide no evidence that α-amino adipic acid is a precursor of lysine in wheat.