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Stereoisomeric Characterization of Tartaric Acid Produced during L-Ascorbic Acid Metabolism in Plants ¹

^a Divison of Cell and Molecular Biology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214

Labeled tartaric acids from Pelargonium crispum apices which had been fed L-ascorbic acid-6-¹⁴C and Vitis labrusca and Parthenocissus inserta tissues which had been fed L-ascorbic acid-1-¹⁴C were examined by chemical means to determine chiral configuration. In each instance, label was associated with (+)-tartaric acid.

Similar experiments with labeled tartaric acid from P. crispum which had been labeled with D-glucose-1-¹⁴C or -6-¹⁴C led to the same result. No evidence was obtained for formation of labeled meso-tartaric acid in experiments described above. The recent suggestion of H. Ruffner and D. Rast (Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 73: 45-55, 1974) that conversion of L-ascorbic acid to tartaric acid in plants is a nonenzymatic process is re-examined in the light of present findings.

³ Present address: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. 99163.

¹ This work was supported by Grant GM-12422 from the National Institutes of Health and a grant from Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc., Nutley, N. J.