The Translocation of Sulphonamides in Higher Plants: III. ACETYLATION AND DEACETYLATION OF SULPHANILAMIDE IN BROAD BEANS AND WHEAT

The acetylation of both amino groups on sulphanilaniide hasbeen demon strated by paper chromatography of sap expressedfrom broad beans treated with suiphanilamide through the roots.Deacetylation of N¹- and N⁴ mides occurred in the leaves oftreated plants and the N⁴ compound was also acetylated to yieldthe N¹: N⁴-diacetylsulphanilamide. About 30 per cent. of the suiphanilamide entering broad-beanroots was acetylated in the roots, the maximum proportion ofthe N⁴-acetyl compound being reached after 7 days. Deacetylationis a more limited process but reaches a steady state after thesame time. Low levels of acetylation and deacetylation wererecorded in wheat. The amounts of suiphanilamide and N⁴ entering and accumulatingin the various tissues were calculated on a water-uptake basisarid these data show that the main site of acetylation is inthe roots and that deacetyla tion occurs to a limited extentin the roots but predominates in stems and leaves.