Participation of the glyoxylate cycle in the metabolism of ethanol by castor bean endosperm tissues.

Abstract

The kinetics and pathway of ethanol metabolism in endosperm tissues of the germinating castor bean-have been studied by incubating tissue slices with micromolar quantities of ethanol-1-14C and ethanol-2-14C. In short term experiments, ethanol-14C was incorporated into the organic acids and acidic amino acids. When the experimental period was increased up to 1 hour, large amounts of ethanol-2-14C were incorporated into the sugars, and ethanol-1-14C was extensively incorporated into the respiratory carbon dioxide. Incorporation of ethanol-14C was stimulated by incubation of the tissues with glyoxylate. Ethanol metabolism was markedly inhibited by iodoacetate and malonate. These inhibitors also changed the distribution of14C in the products isolated. Isotopic competition studies indicated that ethanol was incorporated into the acids of the glyoxylate and the tricarboxylic acid cycles at rates substantially lower than acetate.The results are interpreted as being consistent with a metabolism of ethanol mainly via the glyoxylate cycle with some cycling of ethanol carbon through the tricarboxylic acid cycle.