The Influence of 0.03% Carbon Dioxide on Protein Metabolism of Etiolated Avena sativa Coleoptiles

The influence of indoleacetic acid, 0.03% CO₂, and malate on protein metabolism of etiolated Avena sativa coleoptile sections has been investigated. All three were found to elevate both the rate of incorporation of labeled leucine into protein, and the level of soluble protein. The combination of indoleacetic acid and CO₂ stimulated these values in an additive or weakly synergistic manner, in contrast to the nonadditive influence of malate and CO₂. Evidence is presented that cyclo-heximide inhibited the stimulation of protein synthesis by CO₂, and that indoleacetic acid increased the incorporation of ¹⁴C-bicarbonate into protein. These data are discussed in the context of CO₂-stimulated growth of etiolated tissue, and proposals that CO₂-stimulated growth involves dark CO₂ fixation.