SPERMIDINE: AN INDIRECT PRECURSOR OF THE PYRROLIDINE RINGS OF NICOTINE AND NORNICOTINE IN NICOTIANA GLUTINOSA

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0031-9422(00)83161-1

Spermidine, which was labeled asymmetrically in its four-carbon moiety (<6-14C>-1,5,10-triazadecane), was administered to Nicotiana glutinosa plants.After 7 days the plants were harvested, yielding radioactive nicotine (0.43 percent incorporation) and nornicotine (0.07 percent inc.).A systematic degradation of the alkaloids indicated that they were labelled equally at C-2' and C-5' of their pyrrolidine rings.These results are consistent with the hypothesis that spermidine is degraded to putrescine prior to its incorporation into the pyrrolidine rings of nicotine and nornicotine.Key Word Index - Nicotiana glutinosa; Solanaceae; biosynthesis; nicotine; nornicotine; spermidine; putrescine.