NITROGENOUS CONSTITUENTS IN PLANTS - I. Free Amino Acids in Leaves and Leguminous Seeds.

Abstract

A survey of the free amino acids in the leaves of various plant species has been made.
Large quantities of free proline in the leaves of the citrus group have been detected. The majority of the leaves are comparatively rich in asparagine, glycine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine although they are deficient in some of the essential amino acids. An analysis of the amino acids of leguminous seeds with particular reference to P. radial us has been carried out.The free amino acids of P. radiatus at various stages of germination have been determined. Germination increases the amounts of free amino acids to many times their values in the dormant seed.Several unknown ninhydrin-positive compounds including peptides have been detected.