Conversion of Carbon-14-Labeled Urea into Amino Acids in Leaves.

Abstract
The conversion of the carbon of urea-Cl4 into amino acids has been demonstrated in bean leaves. The pattern of incorporation is almost identical to that obtained with CO2, indicating that the urea is probably hydrolyzed to ammonia and CO2 as the first step in its metabolism. Incubation of leaves with urea results in initially greater levels of protein and amino acids than can be obtained with an equal concentration of ammonia and CO2, but in lower levels of glutamine and asparagine.