THE BIOGENESIS OF ALKALOIDS: XVII. FURTHER STUDY OF THE ROLE OF ORNITHINE IN THE BIOGENESIS OF STACHYDRINE

1956 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 1704-1708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Morgan ◽  
Léo Marion

Earlier attempts to feed ornithine-2-C14 to Medicago sativa L. Grimm had failed to produce any labelled stachydrine. Repetition of the work has confirmed this result, and a study of the amino acids present in the plant has shown that the proline also was inactive. Feeding pyridoxine with ornithine-2-C14 to the plant did not produce active stachydrine, but gave rise to radioactive proline. Of the other amino acids present, glycine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid were also active. A similar feeding experiment with radioactive ornithine and pyridoxine, using older plants, also failed to produce active stachydrine although, as before, the proline was active and so was the keto acids fraction.The results seem to indicate that ornithine may be the precursor of stachydrine, but that the transformation to proline and the methylation to the alkaloid occur at a later stage of growth, possibly at seed formation.

1956 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 511-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. H. N. Towers ◽  
D. C. Mortimer

Of the keto acids identified in leaves of sugar beet and other plants exposed to C14O2, pyruvic acid was found to be the only one labelled in light periods up to 45 sec. α-Ketoglutaric and glyoxylic acids became radioactive after about 45 sec. Radioactive hydroxypyruvate was not identified under these conditions and labelled oxaloacetate was detected only in trace amounts after 60 sec. in Scenedesmus. In contrast glycine and serine were labelled after 10 sec. under comparable conditions and aspartic acid was appreciably labelled after 30 sec. The effect on the radioactivity of the keto acids of an additional period intracer-free air, with and without light, as well as the dark incorporation of C14O2 was studied. These results are discussed in relation to the role of the ketoacids in photosynthesis. It is concluded that the synthesis of amino acids such as glycine, serine, and aspartic acid may be effected by mechanisms other than transamination in green leaves in the light.


1956 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. H. N. Towers ◽  
D. C. Mortimer

Of the keto acids identified in leaves of sugar beet and other plants exposed to C14O2, pyruvic acid was found to be the only one labelled in light periods up to 45 sec. α-Ketoglutaric and glyoxylic acids became radioactive after about 45 sec. Radioactive hydroxypyruvate was not identified under these conditions and labelled oxaloacetate was detected only in trace amounts after 60 sec. in Scenedesmus. In contrast glycine and serine were labelled after 10 sec. under comparable conditions and aspartic acid was appreciably labelled after 30 sec. The effect on the radioactivity of the keto acids of an additional period intracer-free air, with and without light, as well as the dark incorporation of C14O2 was studied. These results are discussed in relation to the role of the ketoacids in photosynthesis. It is concluded that the synthesis of amino acids such as glycine, serine, and aspartic acid may be effected by mechanisms other than transamination in green leaves in the light.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Alfosea-Simón ◽  
Silvia Simón-Grao ◽  
Ernesto Alejandro Zavala-Gonzalez ◽  
Jose Maria Cámara-Zapata ◽  
Inmaculada Simón ◽  
...  

Agriculture is facing a great number of different pressures due to the increase in population and the greater amount of food it demands, the environmental impact due to the excessive use of conventional fertilizers, and climate change, which subjects the crops to extreme environmental conditions. One of the solutions to these problems could be the use of biostimulant products that are rich in amino acids (AAs), which substitute and/or complement conventional fertilizers and help plants adapt to climate change. To formulate these products, it is first necessary to understand the role of the application of AAs (individually or as a mixture) in the physiological and metabolic processes of crops. For this, research was conducted to assess the effects of the application of different amino acids (Aspartic acid (Asp), Glutamic acid (Glu), L-Alanine (Ala) and their mixtures Asp + Glu and Asp + Glu + Ala on tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.). To understand the effect of these treatments, morphological, physiological, ionomic and metabolomic studies were performed. The results showed that the application of Asp + Glu increased the growth of the plants, while those plants that received Ala had a decreased dry biomass of the shoots. The greatest increase in the growth of the plants with Asp + Glu was related with the increase in the net CO2 assimilation, the increase of proline, isoleucine and glucose with respect to the rest of the treatments. These data allow us to conclude that there is a synergistic effect between Aspartic acid and Glutamic acid, and the amino acid Alanine produces phytotoxicity when applied at 15 mM. The application of this amino acid altered the synthesis of proline and the pentose-phosphate route, and increased GABA and trigonelline.


1971 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 683-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas T. Lillich ◽  
Gerald H. Elkan

The biosynthesis of aspartic acid and the incorporation of its carbon skeleton into glutamic acid and alanine was investigated in Rhizobium japonicum. It was found that oxalacetic acid (OAA) occupies a key position in the metabolism of this amino acid and the dissemination of its carbon skeleton into other amino acids. Aspartic acid is formed by two pathways involving the amination of OAA. In one pathway, OAA is synthesized by the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and in the other by the carboxylation of either pyruvate or phosphoenolpyruvate. The carbon skeleton of aspartic acid can be incorporated into alanine either by deamination to OAA followed by decarboxylation to pyruvate and reamination or directly by decarboxylation of the number four carbon. There are at least two pathways by which aspartic acid carbon is incorporated into glutamic acid. One path involves the synthesis of α-ketoglutarate from OAA via the TCA cycle, the other is a condensation yielding either β-methylaspartate or α-ketoglutarate, which is then converted to glutamate.


2021 ◽  
pp. 24-32
Author(s):  
Juliet Oluwatominiyi On ◽  
Glory Akpan Bassey ◽  
Mary-Ibenreh Ogaboh Agba ◽  
Aniedi-Abasi Akpan Markson

Aims: To document the amino acid content of six wild edible mushrooms - Lentinus squarrosulus Mont., Auricularia auricular-judae (Bull.) Wettst., Mycetinis copelandii (Desjardin) A.W. Wilson & Desjardin, Baeospora myosura (Fr.) Singer, Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex. fr) Kummer and Volvariella volvacea (Bull. ex. Fr.) Singer - found in southern Cross River State, Nigeria. Place and duration of study: Department of Plant and Ecological Studies, University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, between May 2018 and August 2018. Methodology: The amino acids content of these mushrooms were quantitatively estimated. The samples were obtained and analyzed for amino acids on dry weight basis using standard methods. Results: The amino acid analysis quantitatively estimated the alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, Isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, norleucine, phenylalanine, proline, serine; threonine; tryptophan; tyrosine and valine component of the mushroom samples. All the mushrooms studied contained nine essential, five conditionally essential and four non-essential amino acids with glutamic acid as the most predominant (values ranging from 6.66 to 17.26g/100g protein). Cysteine (0.30-0.48g/100g protein) and methionine (0.64-1-1.7g/100g protein) were the lowest in concentration. The concentrations of five of these essential amino acids phenylalanine (3.55 mg/100g protein), valine (3.62 mg/100g protein), threonine (3.39 mg/100g protein), tryptophan (1.58 mg/100g protein), and lysine (3.23 mg/100g protein) in P. ostreatus were significantly (P≤0.05) higher than found in the other mushrooms. For the nonessential and conditionally essential amino acids, the concentrations of arginine (6.02 mg/100g protein), aspartic acid (6.88 mg/100g protein), cysteine (0.48 mg/100g protein), glutamine (17.26 mg/100g protein) and glycine (2.61 mg/100g protein) in P. ostreatus were significantly higher (P≤0.05) than found in the other mushrooms. Conclusion: This information reveals that mushrooms are potential sources of quality protein with substantial proportion of essential amino acids indicating they can play a significant role in the fight against malnutrition.


1959 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. D. Nelson ◽  
Paul R. Gorham

Each of 10 C14-labelled amino acids or amides was introduced into young soybean plants through the cut petiole of one primary leaf. The compounds used were asparagine, glutamine, urea, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, serine, alanine, norleucine, and arginine. The rates of uptake of all the solutions except arginine were in the range 1.0 to 1.5 μl per minute. After 1 to 5 minutes, the distribution of C14 throughout the plants was determined. Each amino acid was translocated as such without conversion to other compounds. From the point of introduction, translocation of each amino acid or amide was mainly downward toward the root; very little was translocated upward. The amount of asparagine or glutamine that was translocated into the primary leaf opposite the cut petiole increased as the leaf aged, while the amount of the other eight compounds decreased as the leaf aged. When asparagine and serine were administered together, serine moved into the young primary leaf while asparagine was excluded. Both excision of the roots and chilling the roots decreased the velocity of downward translocation of aspartic acid indicating that the roots exert a strong "demand" which favors translocation in a downward direction more than an upward direction in the stem.


1966 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 591-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
R M O'Neal ◽  
R E Koeppe ◽  
E I Williams

1. Free glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glutamic acid from glutamine and, in some instances, the glutamic acid from glutathione and the aspartic acid from N-acetyl-aspartic acid were isolated from the brains of sheep and assayed for radioactivity after intravenous injection of [2-(14)C]glucose, [1-(14)C]acetate, [1-(14)C]butyrate or [2-(14)C]propionate. These brain components were also isolated and analysed from rats that had been given [2-(14)C]propionate. The results indicate that, as in rat brain, glucose is by far the best precursor of the free amino acids of sheep brain. 2. Degradation of the glutamate of brain yielded labelling patterns consistent with the proposal that the major route of pyruvate metabolism in brain is via acetyl-CoA, and that the short-chain fatty acids enter the brain without prior metabolism by other tissue and are metabolized in brain via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. 3. When labelled glucose was used as a precursor, glutamate always had a higher specific activity than glutamine; when labelled fatty acids were used, the reverse was true. These findings add support and complexity to the concept of the metabolic; compartmentation' of the free amino acids of brain. 4. The results from experiments with labelled propionate strongly suggest that brain metabolizes propionate via succinate and that this metabolic route may be a limited but important source of dicarboxylic acids in the brain.


Reproduction ◽  
2001 ◽  
pp. 803-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Assisi ◽  
V Botte ◽  
A D'Aniello ◽  
MM Di Fiore

The present study investigated the role of D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) in ovarian steroidogenesis and its effect on aromatase activity in the lizard, Podarcis s. sicula. It was determined that D-Asp concentrations vary significantly during phases of the reproductive cycle: they vary inversely with testosterone concentrations and directly with oestradiol concentrations in the ovary and plasma. Experimental treatment showed that administration of D-Asp induces a decrease in testosterone and an increase in oestradiol, and that treatment with other amino acids (L-Asp, D-Glu and D-Ala) instead of D-Asp has no effects. Experiments in vitro confirmed these results. Furthermore, these experiments showed an increase in aromatase activity, as the addition of D-Asp either to fresh ovarian tissue homogenate or to acetonic powder of ovarian follicles induced a significant increase in the conversion of testosterone to oestradiol. Aromatase activity is four times greater in the presence of D-Asp than in its absence. However, almost equivalent values of the two K(m) values (both approximately 25 nmol l(-1)) indicate that aromatase has the same catalytic properties in both cases.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
T. Georgieva ◽  
P. Zorovski

The purpose of this survey is to study the content of non-essential amino acids in four winter (Dunav 1, Ruse 8, Resor 1, Line M-K) and five spring (Obraztsov chiflik 4, Mina, HiFi, Novosadski golozarnest and Prista 2) cultivars of oats grown in Central Southern Bulgaria within the period from 2007 to 2009. The tested cultivars have different contents of non-essential amino acids. Dunav 1 has the highest quantity of glicine (5.12 g/100 g protein) of all the winter cultivars, Ruse 8 has the highest quantity of alanine (5.69 g/100 g protein) and Resor 1 – the highest quantity of arginine (6.14 g/100 g protein). Generally speaking, the spring cultivars have a larger quantity of glutamic acid (from 25.86 to 26.07 g/100 g protein) and proline (from 6.15 to 8.21 g/100 g protein) but a smaller quantity of glycine (from 4.68 to 4.99 g/100 g protein) compared to the winter cultivars. The naked cultivar Mina has the highest quantity of cystine (2.14 g/100 g protein), cultivar Prista 2 has the highest quantity of proline (8.21 g/100 g protein) and glutamic acid (26.07 g/100g protein) and HiFi ranks first in terms of aspartic acid (9.05 g/100 g protein), serine (5.02 g/100 g protein) and tyrosine (2.09 g/100 g protein). In the study we have also established certain relations between non-essential amino acids.


1960 ◽  
Vol 38 (11) ◽  
pp. 1229-1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kasting ◽  
A. J. McGinnis

The production of C14O2 by third-instar larvae of the blow fly, Phormia regina Meig., after it was injected with glutamic acid-U-C14, indicates that this substrate was metabolized under these conditions. However, the nutritionally essential amino acids lysine, phenylalanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, and threonine, isolated from the injected larvae, contained little radioactivity. A low level of radioactivity in arginine, histidine, and methionine suggests that they were slowly synthesized. The nutritionally non-essential amino acids alanine, serine, aspartic acid, and proline contained large quantities of radioactivity; tyrosine and glycine were exceptions. These results, in agreement with earlier work that used glucose-U-C14, show that radioactivity data are useful for determining certain of the nutritionally essential amino acids.


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