Conversion of D-lysine into L-lysine viaL-pipecolic acid in Nicotiana glauca L. plants and cell-suspension cultures

Abstract

It is demonstrated by labelling experiments that D-lysine (1) is specifically converted into L-pipecolic acid (4) in Nicotiana glauca and that L-pipecolic acid (4) is specifically converted into L-Iysine (7). Thus, pipecolic acid (4), which is widely distributed in micro-organisms, animals, and plants, is an intermediate in the conversion of D-Iysine (1) into L-Iysine (7). This conversion occurs not only in intact N. glauca plants, but also under sterile conditions in a cell-suspension culture of N. glauca.