METABOLISM OF MYO-INOSITOL IN PLANTS: CONVERSION TO PECTIN, HEMICELLULOSE, D-XYLOSE, AND SUGAR ACIDS

Abstract

Radioactive myo-inositol ([long dash]2-H3 or [long dash]-2-C14) supplied to strawberry fruit or parsley leaves was converted primarily to the D-galacturonosyl residues of pectin. Other radioactive products included, in order of quantitative importance, D-oxylose, L-arabinosyl, and D-xylosyl residues of hemicellulose, L-gulonic acid, and D-glucuronic acid. No label was incorporated into L -ascorbic acid. The similarity of the end products of myo-inositol metabolism to those previously shown to arise from D-glucuronic acid indicates that myo-inositol is converted to D-glucuronic acid in plant tissues.