Biochemical studies on tobacco alkaloids. I. The fate of labeled tobacco alkaloids supplied to Nicotiana plants

Abstract

The N 15-labeled alkaloids: nicotine, nornicotine, and anabasine, were each supplied through the roots of Nicotiana rustica var. brasilia plants in water culture. N 15 and C 14H 3 double-labeled nicotine was supplied similarly to Nicotiana glauca to study the fate of these alkaloids in Nicotiana plants. A majority of the labeled alkaloid supplied was metabolized and the label appeared in other compounds. The major alkaloid found was characteristic of the experimental plant and was equally labeled with N 15 in both rings, like the alkaloid supplied. Some of the N 15 alkaloids supplied probably were converted to new alkaloids by a route more direct than through the general metabolic pool. The N 15 to C 14 ratio of the anabasine in the N. glauca plant was half that of the N 15 methyl-C 14 labeled nicotine supplied. Thus the anabasine was not formed by mere rearrangement of the nicotine molecule.