Department of Botany, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Planta. 1967 Jun;77(2):192-202. doi: 10.1007/BF00387456.
Canavanine is an arginine analogue found in the seeds of many common legumes and is known to inhibit protein synthesis and growth in a number of organisms. Yet canavanine may comprise as much as 4% of the seed dry weight of the jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis).Canavanine is accumulated during earlier development in the pod, but disappears upon ripening. A corresponding increase in seed canavanine of about the same magnitude as the loss in the pod takes place during this latter time, but there is a subsequent significant increase of canavanine content of the seed after all detectable canavanine has disappeared from the pod. The first of these changes suggests synthesis of canavanine in the pod and transport into the seeds while the second one indicates a synthesis of canavanine in the seeds themselves, or possibly in the leaf or pod with rapid translocation to the seed.Canavanine was found to be at its highest concentration in the seed coats and pods when they were growing most rapidly and to gradually decline afterwards; however, the canavanine concentration of the seeds was found to be constant throughout fruit development.The pattern of canavanine mobilization in jackbean fruits was quite similar to the known pattern of total nitrogen mobilization typical of other leguminous fruits. This is consistent with a role as a nitrogen transport and storage compound.
瓜氨酸是一种精氨酸类似物，存在于许多常见豆类的种子中，已知能抑制许多生物的蛋白质合成和生长。然而，瓜氨酸可能占兵豆（Canavalia ensiformis）种子干重的 4%。瓜氨酸在豆荚的早期发育过程中积累，但在成熟时消失。在这段时间里，种子中的瓜氨酸含量会相应增加，大约与豆荚中损失的瓜氨酸数量相同，但在豆荚中所有可检测到的瓜氨酸消失后，种子中的瓜氨酸含量会随后显著增加。第一个变化表明瓜氨酸在豆荚中合成并运输到种子中，而第二个变化表明瓜氨酸在种子本身中合成，或者可能在叶子或豆荚中迅速转移到种子中。当豆荚和种子生长最快时，瓜氨酸的浓度最高，之后逐渐下降；然而，在整个果实发育过程中，种子中的瓜氨酸浓度保持不变。兵豆果实中瓜氨酸的动员模式与其他豆科果实中典型的总氮动员模式非常相似。这与作为氮素运输和储存化合物的作用一致。
