Pathways of carbohydrate oxidation during thermogenesis by the spadix of Arum maculatum

Abstract

1. The aims of this work were to discover the pathways of carbohydrate oxidation prior to and during thermogenesis by the club of the spadix of Arum maculatum, and whether there was coarse control of these pathways. 2. 14C02 production from [1-14C]-, [3,4-14C]-, and [6-14C]glucose, the detailed distribution of 14C from [1-14C]- and [6-14C]glucose, and the maximum catalytic activities of phosphofructokinase, fructose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were determined at different stages in the development of the spadix. The results indicate that in the early stages carbohydrate is oxidized via both the pentose phosphate pathway and glycolysis, and that a shift to glycolysis occurs during development so that just before and during thermogenesis glycolysis predominates almost exclusively. 3. During development the activities of phosphofructokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase per club increased 100- ans during spadix development, and indicated that the onset of rapid glycolysis at thermogenesis is regulated by fine control or availability of substrate.