ASYMMETRIC DISTRIBUTION OF C 14 IN SUGARS FORMED DURING PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Abstract
Photosynthesis was carried out with Chlorella and the leaves of higher plants using C14O2 under various conditions. The glucose isolated from starch and sucrose produced during short periods of photosynthesis possessed an asymmetric distribution of tracer. This pattern of label was also obtained during longer periods of photosynthesis in the presence of a supply of exogenous glucose. The distribution of tracer is not that which is expected if 2 equal triose phosphates combined to yield a hexose phosphate.