METABOLISM OF ACETATE-1-14C IN EXCISED LEAVES FROM POTASSIUM DEFICIENT RICE SEEDLINGS

Excised leaves from one-month old rice seedlings grown in potassiumdeficient nutrient solution were fed with acetate-l-¹⁴C for20 to 180 min. Rate of respiration of those leaves was significantlyhigher than that of control leaves supplied with sufficientpotassium. Incorporation of UC into organic acid and sugar fractionswere greater in potassium deficient leaves than in normal leaves.The reverse was true as for the incorporation into amino acidfraction. In comparison with normal leaves, potassium deficientleaves acquired much ¹⁴C in succinic acid and glutamine. Therewere distinct differences in the labeling pattern of citrateand in the order of magnitude of specific activities among theorganic acids included in the TCA cycle. From these results,it was assumed that the increase of respiratory rate causedby the potassium deficiency was related to accelerated operationof the TCA cycle. The decreased rate of conversion of organicacids to amino acids and the accumulation of glutamine werealso concluded. (Received April 13, 1967; )     

Formation of putrescine from ornithine and arginine in tobacco plants

Putrescine was formed when both DL-ornithine-2-¹⁴C and L-arginine-U-¹⁴Cwere injected into tobacco plants. The incorporation rate ofthese amino acids into putrescine was higher in potassium orsulfur deficient plants than in normal plants. Degradation ofputrescine-1,4-¹⁴C injected into tobacco plants was inhibitedby a potassium or sulfur deficiency. Increased accumulationof putrescine in potassium or sulfur deficient plants may bepartly dependent upon this inhibition in the degradation ofputrescine. Detached leaves and roots were also able to formputrescine from DL-ornithine-2-¹⁴C and L-arginine-U-¹⁴C. (Received December 13, 1968; )     

Photosynthetic Characteristics of Chloroplasts Isolated from Euglena gracilis Z Grown Photoautotrophically

Photosynthetically competent chloroplasts were isolated fromcells of Euglena gracilis Z grown photoautotrophically in 1.5%CO₂. The isolated chloroplasts were intact and substantiallyfree from cytosolic, mitochondrial and microbody materials.The effects of some compounds on the activity of photosynthetic¹⁴CO₂ fixation were examined. The optimal pH and sorbitol concentrationwere 8.0 and 0.33 M, respectively. The chloroplasts requireda high level of P, (5 to 20 mM) for the maximal rate of photosynthesis.They were insusceptible to 10 mM of free Mg²⁺. ATP, ADP andAMP at 1 to 5 mM notably stimulated photosynthesis, althoughhigh concentrations of AMP were unfavorable. In the assay mediumdeveloped for this study, the chloroplasts exhibited photosyntheticactivity of 120µmoles-mg^–1 Chl-h^–1 at 30?C. Chloroplasts could also be isolated from cells grown under ordinaryair. The rate of photosynthetic ¹⁴CO₂ fixation at 1 mM NaH^l4CO₃was higher in these chloroplasts than in those isolated fromcells grown in 1.5% CO₂, whereas at 10 mM NaH^l4CO₃, the ratesof the two types of chloroplasts were nearly the same. Theseresults suggest that the CO₂ concentration given during growthof the algal cells affects the affinity for dissolved inorganiccarbon at the chloroplast level. (Received March 30, 1987; Accepted August 17, 1987)     

Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Metabolism by the Glycollate Pathway in Leaves

When solutions of [¹⁴C]glycollate, glycine, serine, glycerate,or glucose were supplied to segments of wheat leaves throughtheir cut bases in the light, most of the ¹⁴C was incorporatedinto sucrose in air but in CO₂-free air less sucrose was made.The synthesis of sucrose was decreased because metabolism ofserine was partly blocked. Sucrose synthesis from glucose andglycerate in CO₂-free air was decreased but to a smaller extent;relatively more CO₂ was evolved and serine accumulated. Theeffects of DCMU and light of different wavelengths on metabolismby leaves of L-[U-¹⁴C]serine confirmed that simultaneous photosyntheticassimilation of carbon was necessary for the conversion of serineto sucrose. Of various products of photosynthesis fed exogenouslyto the leaves -keto acids were the most effective in promotingphotosynthesis of sucrose and release of ¹⁴CO₂ from ¹⁴C-labelledserine. This suggests that in CO₂-free air the metabolism ofserine may be limited by a shortage of -keto acid acceptorsfor the amino group. In CO₂-free air added glucose stimulatedproduction of CO₂ and sucrose from D-[U-¹⁴C]- glycerate andno competitive effects were evident even though glucose is convertedrapidly to sucrose under these conditions. In addition to asupply of keto acid, photosynthesis may also provide substratesthat can be degraded and provide energy in the cytoplasm forthe conversion of glycerate to sugar and phosphates and sucrose.     

Synthesis and Dissolution of Starch labelled with 14Carbon in Tobacco Leaf Tissue

Tobacco leaves depleted of starch, were detached and allowedto assimilate equal amounts of ¹⁴CO₂ and ¹²CO₂in succession,and vice versa. Distribution of radioactivity in starch, andsugars was determined after assimilation and after disks cutfrom the leaves had been kept in darkness for times up to 40hours. The amount and activity of the CO₂ was also determined.¹⁴C and ¹²C were incorporated in equal amounts into starch independentlyof the order in which they were supplied. In contrast sucrosehad high activity ¹⁴C was given last, and hexose a low one.The reverse was true when ¹²C was given last. Activity of respiratoryCO₂ was slightly higher when ¹⁴C was assimilated last as comparedwith ¹²C. In the dark only ¹⁴C or ¹²C was at first lost fromstarch, in accordance or removal of discrete layers. Analyticalresults show that starch is the main respiratory substrate andto account for the redistribution of radioactivity in passageto CO₂ it is concluded that sucrose occurs at two sites separatedinter-or intra-cellularly, one of which is in equilibrium withthe system intrconverting starch and CO₂ and at the other hexosesare produced by inversion. A starch-like polysaccharide is formedduring assimilation which persists in the dark and there isa significant contribution to respiration of carbon from non-carbohydratesources when leaf disks are kept on the dark.     

Modulated Degradation of Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase in Leaves on Top-Pruned Shoots of the Mulberry Tree (Morus alba L.)

Yamashita, T. 1987. Modulated degradation of ribulose ftisphosphatecarboxylase in leaves on top-pruned shoots of the mulberry tree(Morus alba L.).—J. exp. Bot. 38: 1957–1964. The effects of pruning shoot tops on the synthesis and degradationof ribulose 1,5–Wsphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase) inleaves on remaining shoots were investigated in mulberry trees.Leucine labelled with ¹⁴C was fed to leaf discs from field-grownmulberry trees and ¹⁴C incorporation into RuBPCase was examined.Proportion of ¹⁴C in RuBPCase to leucine–¹⁴C absorbedby leaf discs was remarkably lowered by top-pruning, thoughoccasionally a slight increase was observed soon after pruning.Yet RuBPCase content in leaves on top-pruned shoots became progressivelyhigher than that in leaves on intact shoots. Changes in ¹⁴Cin Ru1BPCase in leaves of mulberry saplings previously fed ¹⁴CO₂were followed. Following ¹⁴CO₂ feeding, the attainment of themaximal level of ₁₄C in RuBPCase was retarded by top-pruning.The highest level of ₁₄C in RuBPCase was maintained in leaveson top-pruned shoots but decreased in leaves on intact shoots.Specific radioactivity in RuBPCase continued to increase inleaves on top-pruned shoots even after attaining a maximum levelin the control leaves. These facts suggest that the increasein RuBPCase by top-pruning results from a cessation of its degradationfor the remobilization of nitrogen for newly developing leaveson shoot tops. Key words: RuBP carboxylase, shoot pruning, mulberry (Morus alba)     

Effect of the age of tobacco leaves on photosynthesis and photorespiration

Relationships among the activities of enzymes related to photosynthesisand photorespiration, and ¹⁴CO₂ photosynthetic products wereinvestigated with individual tobacco leaves attached to thestalk from the bottom to the top. P-glycolate phosphatase ofthe chloroplasts and glycolate oxidase of the peroxisomes hadtheir maximum activities in the 25th leaf from the dicotyledons.Maximum photorespiration was similarly distributed. The highestratio of serine-¹⁴C to glycine-¹⁴C in the photosynthesates andmaximum glycolate formation were also observed in the 25th leaf.Glutamateglyoxylate aminotransferase, serine hydroxymethyltransferaseand glycine decarboxylase were more active in the upper leaves.RuDP carboxylase had nearly constant activity in all leaves,except for the youngest in which activity decreased. MaximumCO₂ photosynthesis and enzyme activity for the C₄ dicarboxylicacid cycle occurred in the upper, youngest leaf. Distributionof photosynthetic CO² fixation among the leaves did not coincidewith RuDP carboxylase activity. The photosynthetic capacityappeared to be better related to the distribution pattern forenzymes of the C₄ dicarboxylic acid pathway, i.e. PEP carboxylase,pyruvate Pi dikinase and 3-PGA phosphatase in the upper leaves.The results suggest that the C₄ dicarboxylic acid pathway participates,to some extent, in photosynthesis in young leaves of tobacco,a dicotyledonous plant. ¹This work was reported at the Annual Meeting (1970) of theJapanese Plant Physiologists in Kobe. ²The Central Research Institute, Japan Monopoly Corporation1-28-3, Nishishinagawa, Shinagawaku, Tokyo, 141 Japan. (Received November 2, 1972; )     

A Comparative Study of the Influence of Salt Type and Concentration on 14CO2 Fixation in Potato Slices at 25{degrees} C and 0{degrees} C

Dark fixation of ¹⁴CO₂ was followed in potato disks under varyingsalt treatments at 0° C and 25° C. It is shown thatthe specific activity of the ¹⁴CO₂ supplied is heavily dilutedby endogenously produced CO₂ and that the apparently greaterfixation of ¹⁴CO₂, at 0° C as compared with that at 25 °C is due to the lower respiration rate at 0° C, with consequentlyless dilution of the ¹⁴CO₂. supplied. At 25° C organic acidformation in response to different salt treatments fulfils thecommon expectation, ¹⁴CO₂ fixation increasing in the presenceof K₂SO₄ and decreasing in CaCl₂ relative to that in KCl. Therole of organic acids in maintaining ionic balance within thecell at 25° C is thereby indicated but at 0° C organicacid adjustments did not follow the normal pattern. At 25°C but not at o° C increasing external concentration of KCIresulted in an increased level of ¹⁴CO₂ fixation.     

Coupling of malate decarboxylation to CO2 fixation and the reduction of 3-phosphoglyceric acid in corn bundle sheath cells,2

1. In the presence of NADP⁺ and Mg⁺⁺, the bundle sheath strandsisolated from corn (Zea mays) leaves by cellulase treatmentsdecarboxylated malate in the light at an initial rate (200 µmoles/mgchl.hr), which was sufficient to account for photosyntheticCO₂ fixation in intact leaves. This rate gradually slowed downand then stopped. The final level of the malate decarboxylatedwas approximately equal to the amount of NADP⁺ added.
2. Rapidand continued decarboxylation of malate was observed whenNADP⁺,3-phosphoglyceric acid and ATP (and Mg⁺⁺) were addedtogether.The addition of ADP instead of ATP showed a similareffect.Light did not show any effect on the malate decarboxylationin the presence of ATP or ADP.
3. When malate was added to thebundle sheath strands in the presenceof exogenous NADP⁺ NADP⁺was rapidly reduced. The reductionstopped after 2 min when,73% of the added NADP⁺ was reduced.The further addition of3-phosphoglyceric acid and ATP broughtabout a decrease in theNADPH-level, which rose again to attaina new steady level.
4. The transfer of radioactivity from (1-¹⁴C-3-phosphoglycericacid to dihydroxyacetone phosphate in the bundle sheath strandsin the presence of ATP and NADP⁺ was greatly enhanced by theaddition of malate.
5. In the presence of ribose 5-phosphateand ATP, the rate of ¹⁴C-transferfrom (4-¹⁴C)-malate to theintermediates of the reductive pentosephosphate cycle was equalto that of ¹⁴CO₂ fixation in the light.

All these results support the current view that in the bundlesheath cells of C₄ plants belonging to the NADP-malic enzyme-group,the decarboxylation of malate is coupled to the fixation ofthe released CO₂ and the reduction of 3-phosphoglyceric acidformed as a result of CO₂ fixation. ¹ Part of this research was reported at the 40th Annual Meetingof the Botanical Society of Japan Osaka, December, 1975. ³ Present address: Laboratory of Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine,Teikyo University, 359 Otsuka, Hachioji-City, Tokyo 173, Japan. (Received April 30, 1977; )     

The Sources of Sugars in Sieve-tube Sap

All the leaves of rooted willow cuttings were enclosed in aglass chamber for 2 hours, during which time they assimilated20 µ. of ¹⁴CO₂. A number of groups of aphids were situatedalong the stem, their honeydew was collected hourly on filter-paper,and the specific activity of the honeydew sugars determined.The activity in the honeydew of groups nearest the leaves rosesharply to a peak, then fell, steeply at first, then more gradually. Twenty-four hours after ¹⁴CO₂ assimilation, substantial activitywas still evident in the honeydew. In the case of other groupsfarther from the leaves, the maximum activity reached was notso high, while those aphids with a number of other groups ofaphids between them and the leaves excreted very little ¹⁴C.They did, however, excrete sugar at about the same rate as theother group, indicating that the stem reserves compensated forthe decrease (due to the other feeding aphids) in sugars directfrom the leaves. In one instance a mean rate of translocationof 7.5 cm./hr. was obtained.     

Carbon dioxide assimilation and photosystem II deficiency in bundle sheath strands isolated from C4 plants

The activities of Hill reaction and photosynthetic ¹⁴CO₂ fixationin bundle sheath strands enzymatically isolated from millet(Panicum miliaceum) were 3–15 times as high as those observedin corn (Zea mays). In both preparations, 3-phosphoglyceratewas the initial ¹⁴CO₂ fixation product and the radioactivitywas incorporated into sucrose and insoluble compounds (glucose-polymers)during the later period. After 20 sec of photosynthetic ¹⁴CO₂fixation, the percent of ¹⁴C incorporated into sugar phosphatesin millet was about 3 times as high as that in corn, while incorn, the percent of ¹⁴C in 3-phosphoglycerate was higher thanthat observed in millet throughout the experimental period.When ¹⁴C-phosphoglycerate was added to the isolated bundle sheathstrands, the rates of transfer of the radioactivity to dihydroxyacetonephosphate and sugar diphosphates in millet were significantlyhigher than those in corn. These results indicate that in thebundle sheath strands isolated from corn in which photosystemII activity is deficient, the reductive pentose cycle is impairedat the reduction step of 3-phosphoglycerate to glyceraldehydephosphate due to the limited supply of NADPH through the photoelectrontransport system. In contrast, the bundle sheath strands isolatedfrom millet which have adequate photosystem II activity cancarry out normal photosynthetic CO₂ fixation. (Received January 23, 1975; )     

Photolytic Decarboxylation of Carboxyl-14C-labelled Indol-3yl-acetic Acid in Leaves of the Apple Tree

The nature and rate of degradation of carboxyl-¹⁴C-labelledindol-3y1-acetic acid (IAA-[l-¹⁴C]) were studied in apple leaves.The labelled auxin was applied to the cut surface of the growingshoot after the apical part had been removed. The respiratoryCO₂ absorbed by chromatographic paper as Na₂CO₃ then freed byphosphoric acid was quantitatively measured by an internal gascounter. It was found that the concentration of ¹⁴CO₂ evolvedby leaves was 77 times higher in daylight than in darkness.The ratio of ¹⁴CO₂/CO₂ obtained from respiration from the uppersurface of leaf blades was two and seven times higher than thatfrom the lower surface after 15 and 30 h of daylight, respectively.No such differences were noticed in darkness. Similarly, thetotal radioactivity of leaf tissues tripled in daylight, presumablybecause of photosynthetic incorporation of radioactive CO₂ evolvedduring decomposition of LAA. These facts demonstrate the photolyticcharacter of auxin decarboxylation in apple leaves. Prolongeddarkness seemed to provoke a large metabolite withdrawal fromleaves and, to some extent, to protect auxin against decarboxylation.     

The Extent of Starch Turnover in Mature Pepper Leaves in the Light

The extent of starch turnover in pepper leaves in the lighthas been estimated. After leaves were labelled with ¹⁴CO₂ atconstant specific activity for 4–7 h, the irradiance wasreduced to a level which caused no net change in the starchcontent of the leaf, and the supply of ¹⁴CO₂ was removed. Therewas no significant change in specific activity of starch overthe following 6–10 h, thus there was no exchange of ¹⁴C-starchwith ¹²C-assimilates entering the chloroplasts. Starch, turnover, ¹⁴C-labelling, pepper, Capsicum annuum L.     

The Translocation of 14C-Photoassimilate from Normal and Mutant Leaves to the Pods of Pisum sativum L.

In experiments using radioactive carbon dioxide (¹⁴CO₂) a comparisonwas made of the ¹⁴C-photoassimilate translocation potentialsof two normal leaved (genotype AfAfTlTl) and two mutant formsof Pisum sativum (pea). A ¹⁴CO₂ administration method is describedthat permitted ¹⁴C-translocation studies to be conducted underfield conditions. One of the mutants available produced tendrils in place of leaves(afafTlTl). The other mutant studied was without tendrils buthad a much branched petiole with numerous relatively minuteleaflets (afaftltl). These mutants and the normal-leaved cultivarswith which they were compared were not isogenic lines. Lengthybackcrossing would be required before full assessment couldbe made of the possible agronomic value of such mutations. An interim evaluation of these mutants was based on ¹⁴C-distributionassays that were conducted 48 h after feeding ¹⁴CO₂, to specifiedleaves. The indication was that in translocation terms the leafand pod had a well defined respective source and sink relationshipthat was independent of leaf morphology. In each case the podswhich constituted the major ¹⁴C sinks depended on which leafhad been fed ¹⁴CO₂. With regard to sink specific activity asdefined by the quantity of ¹⁴C incorporated per unit dry weightof pod, the mutants were not significantly different from normal. The implication of these findings was that fundamental changesin pea leaf morphology could be made genetically without a markedeffect on the photoassimilate export potential of the leaf.     

Effect of leaf age on light and dark 14CO2 fixation in a CAM plant, Bryophyllum calycinum

Leaves of different ages from B. calycinum were exposed to ¹⁴CO₂in light during day and night. The labelling pattern on thechromatogram differed with leaf age. Young leaves had similarpatterns to those of C3 plants during both day and night. Matureleaves showed high incorporation of ¹⁴C into C4 acids, especiallyat night. In contrast, no significant difference with leaf agewas observed in the pattern of dark ¹⁴CO₂ fixation products.Study of the enzyme activity and the content of titratable acidat each leaf age suggested that high incorporation of ¹⁴C inC4 acids during the night was due to the simultaneous absorptionof CO₂ by both enzymes RuDPcarboxylase and PEPcarboxylase. (Received November 24, 1977; )     

Development of Lipid Synthesis from CO2 in Avena Leaves during Greening of Etiolated Seedlings

The development of the lipid synthesizing system in Avena leafsections was examined in connection with carbon fixation duringthe greening of etiolated seedlings under light. During theinitial 2 h illumination there was a low level of CO₂ fixationby PEP carboxylation, but its products, malate and citrate,did not serve as a carbon source for lipid synthesis, althoughlipid synthesis from acetate had already been established. Withthe initiation of Calvin cycle activity after the initial 2h illumination, lipid synthesis began, with CO₂ fixed by RuBPcarboxylation serving exclusively as the carbon source. Fattyacid synthesis in the leaves during the initial 3 h illumination,unlike the fatty acid synthesis thereafter, was insensitiveto thiolactomycin, an inhibitor of type II fatty acid synthetasecontained in the plastids, and was not dependent on light, incontrast to light-dependent activity in greened leaves. The distribution of ¹⁴C incorporated into lipid molecules fromNaH¹⁴CO₃ showed an equal ratio of ¹⁴C in fatty acid, glyceroland choline moieties of labeled phosphatidylcholine, but a denserradioactivity in the galactose moiety than in the residual moietyof mono- and di-galactosyldiacylglycerols. This suggests a regulatedsupply of glycerol, choline and fatty acid moieties for phosphatidylcholinesynthesis, and an excess supply of galactose to diacylglycerolmoiety for galactosyldiacylglycerol synthesis in Avena leaves. (Received October 31, 1984; Accepted January 25, 1985)     

Some Effects of Yellow Rust (Puccinia striiformis) on 14Carbon Assimilation and Translocation in Wheat

A well-developed infection of Yellow Rust on a leaf of springwheat (Jufy I) caused the assimilation of ¹⁴CO₂ by that leafto decrease to 43.5 per cent of that of an uninfected leaf.Over a period of three hours translocation of ¹⁴C from an infectedleaf was only 0.87 per cent of that from a control leaf. Whencontrol plants were kept in the light for periods up to 16 hoursafter assimilating ¹⁴CO₂ translocation continued at a steadyrate, whereas there was only negligible translocation from infectedleaves after the first few hours. The retention of labelledassimilates in the infected leaf could be partly, but not completely,accounted for by a conversion of assimilates to an alcohol-insolubleform. Rust infection had no effect on the distribution patternof ¹⁴C to other leaves from one which had assimilated ¹⁴CO₂.In contrast to the marked retention of assimilate by an infectedleaf, such a leaf was unable to distort the normal distributionby attracting assimilates from the other leaves.     

Root Development and Source-Sink Relations in Carrot, Daucus carota L: II. EFFECTS OF ROOT PRUNING ON CARBON ASSIMILATION AND THE PARTITIONING OF ASSIMILATES

Physiological responses to root pruning were investigated bycomparing ¹⁴CO₂ fixation rates, the partitioning of ¹⁴C-labelledassimilate, and soluble and insoluble carbohydrate levels inthe leaves of carrot plants following the removal of some ofthe fibrous roots, or fibrous roots and part of the tap root.Root pruning reduced ¹⁴CO₂ fixation by 28–45% but leafspecific activity (¹⁴C assimilation g-¹ leaf fresh weight) wasunchanged. The proportion of total assimilate exported to theroot system increased following root pruning and this was atthe expense of the developing leaves. In younger plants (wherethe tap root received 10% of the assimilate) the supply of ¹⁴Cto the tap root was maintained in spite of root pruning. However,shortening the tap root to 3 cm in older plants (in which 30%of the fixed 14C was normally exported to the developing storageorgan), reduced its sink capacity and resulted in slightly greaterretention of ¹⁴C in the mature leaves. Greater concentrationsof insoluble carbohydrate were found in the mature leaves followingroot pruning but soluble sugar content was unaffected. Onlysmall differences were observed in the distribution of ¹⁴C betweensoluble and insoluble carbohydrate fractions when plants werefed ¹⁴CO₂ several days after the root pruning operations. Thesephysiological responses were mainly associated with the removalof fibrous roots and support the view that the fibrous rootsystem is more important than the developing storage organ inregulating growth in young carrot plants.     

Studies in the Respiratory and Carbohydrate Metabolism of Plant Tissues1: XVII. THE EFFECT OF IODOACETATE ON THE CO2 OUTPUT, PATHWAYS OF GLUCOSE RESPIRATION AND CONTENTS OF PHOSPHATE ESTERS IN STRAWBERRY LEAVES

When specifically labelled glucose was fed to strawberry leaves,the C₆/C₁, quotient (rate of release of ¹⁴CO₂ from glucose-6-¹⁴C/rateof release of ¹⁴CO₂ from glucose-1¹⁴C ranged from 0.27 to 0.35in leaves in water and from 0.46 to 0.96 in leaves fed withiodoacetate. These quotients indicate that both the glycolyticand the pentose phosphate pathways participate in the respirationof strawberry leaves, with a greater contribution from the formerin the iodoacetate increased CO₂ output. Concurrently with the increase of CO² output in iodoacetate,the contents of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), fructose-6 (F6P)and fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) increased greatly; therewas a smaller increase of phosphoenol-pyruvate (PEP). The increasein the CO₂ output in iodoacetate may be explained solely onthe basis that the increases of G6P and FDP accelerate the ratesrespectively of the pentose phosphate pathway and of glycolysisand traffic into the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The increasein content of G6P and FDP is attributed to an increase in theaccessibility of enzymes and substrates caused by iodoacetate.Alternatively the increased CO₂ output in iodoacetate may bepartly due to uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.     

Glycolate Pathway and Serine Synthesis in Relation to CO2 Concentration in Tomato Leaves

Isotopic trapping of the carbon flowing through the glycolatepathway by exogenous glycolate, glycine and L-serine was investigatedduring ¹⁴CO₂ photosynthesis at different CO₂ concentrationsin tomato leaves. L-Serine markedly trapped the carbon flowingfrom ¹⁴CO₂. The amounts of ¹⁴C incorporated into serine decreasedat a high CO₂ concentration, but increased with an increasein the CO₂ concentration in the presence of exogenous serineduring 10-min photosynthesis in ¹⁴CO₂. When ¹⁴CO₂ was fed for5 to 40 sec at 1300 ppm CO₂ to tomato leaves which had beengiven L-serine, an increase in the accumulation of ¹⁴C-serinebegan after 20 sec, and the ¹⁴C-serine molecules formed at 20and 40 sec were labeled uniformly. In the presence of exogenousserine during 10-min photosynthesis in 1300 ppm CO₂, isonicotinicacid hydrazide increased the incorporation of ¹⁴CO₂ into glycinewith a corresponding decrease in the accumulation of ¹⁴C-serine,but it did not inhibit serine accumulation completely; an evidencefor that some serine was formed by a pathway other than theglycolate pathway. The effect of the CO₂ concentration on theglycolate pathway is discussed in terms of serine synthesisin the presence of exogenous serine. (Received June 1, 1981; Accepted September 30, 1981)