METABOLISM OF AMINO-ACIDS IN GERMINATING YELLOW LUPINE SEEDS .1. THE DECOMPOSITION OF C-14 ASPARTATE AND C-14 GLUTAMATE DURING THE INHIBITION

Soluble protein fraction, isolated from axes of lupine (Lupinus luteus L.) seeds at early stages of imbibition, exhibited the capacity for d ecomposing (UC)-C-14-labelled L-aspartate to (CO2)-C-14 in the presenc e of oxoacids. It is postulated that aspartate may serve as substrate for the ATP synthesis pathway. On the other hand, (UC)-C-14-glulamate was decomposed by the mitochondrial fraction through catabolic action of glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4. 1.2-4). Quantitatively, glutamate oxidation was much more intense than aspartate breakdown, but it rathe r took place in later stages of seed inbibition and germination.