Summary
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(1)
Further studies on the changes in ascorbic acid elaboration by germinatingmüng with various cultural additions have been carried out with a view to elucidate the postulated role of intermediaries of glucose metabolism.
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(2)
Selective inhibitors of certain enzymes concerned in glucose breakdown and in phosphorylation, such as azide, fluoride and 2:4 dinitrophenol adversely affect ascorbic acid formation.
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(3)
Malonate, a competitive inhibitor of succinic dehydrogenase, depresses ascorbic acid elaboration. Involvement of fumarate in reactions leading to synthesis of ascorbic acid is thus inferable.
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(4)
In proper concentrations, certain mitotoxic agents like chloretone, urethane and coumarin favour synthesis of ascorbic acid.
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(5)
Phosphorylation inhibitors such as atabrine and 2:4 dinitrophenol adversely affect phosphatase and, more particularly, pyrophosphatase activities which are stimulated by fumarate or succinate and by mitotoxic agents like chloretone in suitable concentrations. Phosphorylation of intermediates seems therefore a necessary step in ascorbic acid elaboration.
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(6)
In general, changes in nicotinic acid are parallel to those in ascorbic acid.
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(7)
The related observations have been discussed and it is concluded that metabolic breakdown of glucose is a probable prerequisite to its transformation into ascorbic acid.
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Bharani, S.P., Shah, Y.S. & Sreenivasan, A. Biosynthesis of vitamin C during germination. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 37, 54–71 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03050189
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03050189