Control of diurnal variations in photosynthetic products. I. Carbon metabolism

It has been demonstrated previously that the synthesis of amino acids from photosynthetically fixed carbon in leaves of Capsicum annuum L. cv. California Wonder occurs in the middle of the photoperiod. This paper reports experiments which identify control points regulating the carbon flow in these leaves. Estimations have been made of the levels of intermediates between 3-phosphoglycerate and pyruvate and between 3-phosphoglycerate and fructose 6-phosphate in leaves at different times in the photoperiod. Application of the Chance crossover analysis indicates that during periods of amino acid synthesis, pyruvate kinase is activated, possibly by ammonium ions. Fructose diphosphate aldolase could possibly be an additional control point, showing activation when amino acid synthesis has ceased. There was no indication of diurnal periodicity in the activity of fructose diphosphate aldolase.