BIOSYNTHESIS OF MUSTARD OIL GLUCOSIDES: IV. THE ADMINISTRATION OF METHIONINE-C14 AND RELATED COMPOUNDS TO HORSERADISH

Abstract

The administration of C14-labelled compounds to horseradish (Armoracia lapathifolia Gilib.) demonstrated that both methionine and acetate were efficiently incorporated into the aglycone (allyl isothiocyanate) of sinigrin. Chemical degradation of the aglycone showed that the methyl group of acetate appeared in the "isothiocyanate carbon" and that carbons 2, 3, and 4 of methionine were incorporated into carbons 2, 3, and 4 respectively of the aglycone with very little randomization. Homocysteine was the only other compound that was incorporated into the aglycone. Other degradation products of methionine did not appear to be incorporated into allyl isothiocyanate.