PHOSPHATE ION AS A PROMOTER CATALYST OF RESPIRATION

Abstract

The active component of phosphate solutions, in relation to promoter action on oxidising enzymes, is the PO4''' ion. This is shown by the demonstration of a hyperbolic relationship between per cent production of CO2 (of Elodea) and pPO4, the measure of the phosphate ion potential. This is consistent with the rate of respiration as affected by changing pPO4 through change of total phosphate concentration while pH is kept constant. The equation for this relationship is (CO2 – a) (pPO4 – b)n = K where a, b, n, and K are constants and n = 1. The same relationship to phosphate ion concentration, expressed by the equation (Activity of enzyme) (pPO4)n = K, where n and K are constants and n varies from 1 to 6 under different conditions, appears to hold for some other enzyme actions, including those of peroxidase and pancreatic lipase.