title: Metabolism of [5-h]proline by barley leaves and its use in measuring the effects of water stress on proline oxidation.
abstract: The objective of these experiments was to determine the fate of tritium from the 5 position of proline and to assess the validity of its loss to H(2)O as a measure of proline oxidation. When [5-(3)H]proline was fed to barley (Hordeum vulgare) leaves, tritium was recovered in H(2)O and metabolites such as glutamate, glutamine, organic acids, aspartate, asparagine, and gamma-aminobutyrate. Collectively these metabolites, which are oxidation products of proline, accounted for 8% of the (3)H recovered after 5 hours. In spite of the amount recovered in metabolites, the rates of proline oxidation estimated by measuring (3)H(2)O recovery from [5-(3)H]proline were only slightly lower than rates estimated by incorporation of (14)C into oxidized products and loss of (14)C from total proline. Therefore, (3)H(2)O recovery from [5-(3)H]proline is useful in assessing the effects of stress on proline metabolism.Water stress inhibited proline oxidation, as reported previously. In addition, a reconversion of proline oxidation products to proline occurred in stressed leaves. This observation probably indicates a breakdown in cellular compartmentation of proline synthesis and proline oxidation.
authors: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011.
authors: C R
authors: CR
authors: Stewart
authors: S F
authors: SF
authors: Boggess