Record Details

Radiotracer studies of carbohydrate catabolism in tomato fruit

ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University

Field Value
Title Radiotracer studies of carbohydrate catabolism in tomato fruit
Names Ramsey, John Charles (creator)
Wang, Chih H. (advisor)
Date Issued 1964-06 (iso8601)
Note Graduation date: 1964
Abstract Glucose-1, -2 and -6-C¹⁴ substrates were incorporated into
individual tomato fruits in order to study the catabolic fate of
substrate glucose, especially with regard to the possible occurrence
of triose recombination, as well as to investigate the pathways
leading to the biosynthesis of C₄ acids in the fruit. After metabolizing
the administered glucose-C¹⁴ substrates for a period of 12
hours, the fruits were individually processed for the separation of
organic acids and carbohydrates. Subsequently, both glucose and
malic acid isolated from the tomatoes were degraded in order to
determine their isotopic distribution pattern.
Data obtained from the carbohydrate fractions reflected the
presence of a large endogenous pool of carbohydrates in the fruit,
and a comparison of the specific activities of fruit glucose and
fructose indicated that glucose-6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate
probably are not in isotopic equilibrium in this organism. The
isotopic distribution pattern in fruit glucose clearly established
the occurrence of triose recombination via both the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) and the pentose phosphate (PP)
pathways. A theoretical analysis of the impact of triose recombination
on the equations derived for the estimation of pathway participation
indicated that recombination processes do not significantly
alter the previously calculated values.
The examination of organic acids isolated from the fruits
indicated that the EMP pathway, in conjunction with the tricarboxylic
acid cycle, is the primary source of carbon skeletons for the
biosynthesis of fruit acids. The isotopic distribution pattern of
malic acid demonstrated that a CO₂-fixation reaction of the C₃ + C₁
type is largely responsible for the net biosynthesis of C₄ acids in
tomato fruit.
Genre Thesis/Dissertation
Topic Carbohydrates -- Metabolism
Identifier http://hdl.handle.net/1957/48355

© Western Waters Digital Library - GWLA member projects - Designed by the J. Willard Marriott Library - Hosted by Oregon State University Libraries and Press