Abstract
dl-Ornithine-2-14C, dl-methionine-14CH3 and partially racemized l-nornicotine-2, 5-14C, were administered to aseptically grown excised roots (N. rustica var. Brasilia). Incorporation of their radioactivity to nicotine was compared. The extent of their radioactive incorpo-ration to nicotine was high in the order of ornithine, methionine and nornicotine; incorpo-ration of radioactivity of nornicotine to nicotine was extraordinarily low. 15N-Labeled nornicotine was also fed to the same materials and 15N distribution was examined. Most of 15N still remained in the nornicotine reisolated. Marked amounts of 15N were located in the ethanol-insoluble fraction, the amino acid fraction and the substances having chro-matographic RF value close to that of nicotine. Only small amount of 15N was incorpo-rated to the isolated nicotine. Nornicotine is generally accepted to be a direct precursor of nicotine in tobacco plants. From these findings, however, it can be said that the biosynthesis of nicotine can occur through other routes without going through nornicotine.
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