SHIKIMATE PATHWAY IN NONPHOTOSYNTHETIC TISSUES IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON ENZYMES AND PARTIAL-PURIFICATION OF DEHYDROQUINATE HYDROLYASE-SHIKIMATE OXIDOREDUCTASE AND CHORISMATE MUTASE FROM ROOTS

The present study aims to give a survey on common enzymes of the shikimate pathway in non-green tissues. Dehydroquinate hydrolyase/shikimate oxidoreductase, shikimate kinase and chorismate mutase from roots of spinach and a radish (Brassica rapa) hybrid were partially purified; the 3-dehydroquinate synthase was identified. Regarding some earlier findings of other authors and previewing current intermediate incorporation studies, it can be inferred that non-green tissues make use of the complete shikimate pathway to synthesize aromatic amino acids - unlike the pathway in photosynthetic tissues - independent from light.