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L-Ascorbic Acid Biosynthesis in Higher Plants from L-Gulono-1, 4-lactone and L-Galactono-1, 4-lactone ¹

^a Department of Biology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214

Detached bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and strawberry (Fragaria) fruits fed L-gulono-1,4-lactone or L-galactono-1,4-lactone convert this compound, in part, to L-ascorbic acid. When L-galactono-1,4-lactone is given as a 0.25% solution to detached bean shoots, the ascorbic acid content is tripled in less than 10 hours. L-Gulono-1,4-lactone is only 5 to 10% as effective as its epimer. Experiments with specifically labeled L-gulono-1,4-lactone and L-galactono-1,4-lactone prove that conversion is direct. Ascorbic acid is labeled at the same carbon as its precursor.

A method is described for preparation of L-galactono-1,4-lactone-2-¹⁴C from myo-inositol-2-¹⁴C. This method can be extended to the preparation of L-ascorbic acid-2-¹⁴C on the basis of results obtained in the present study.

³ Present address: Western Regional Research Laboratory, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, Calif. 94706.

¹ This investigation was supported, in part, by Grant GM-12422 from the United States Public Health Service, National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Preliminary experiments which led to research reported here were run while F. Loewus was an employee of the Western Regional Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, Calif. 94706.

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