Date of Award

5-1-1964

Degree Type

Creative Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Biology

Committee Chair(s)

Gene W. Miller

Committee

Gene W. Miller

Committee

George W. Welkie

Committee

H. H. Wiebe

Committee

John R. Simmons

Committee

W. M. Moore

Abstract

Riboflavin, 6,7-dimethyl-9-(D-1'-ribityl) isoalloxazine, has been studied extensively by workers in many fields of interest. Because of its almost universal occurrence in plants and its requirement by most animals as a vitamin, it is of interest to both the botanist and the zoologist. It is also of interest to the photochemist and its photo chemistry is currently being studied by several groups (27, 35, 47, 49). In addition riboflavin has been implicated in the photo inactivation of indole-acetic acid (16) and 2,4-D (20). It is also thought to be involved in the processes of bioluminescence (33, 48) and phototropism (17). At present, however, the only known biological function of riboflavin is its participation in biological oxidations as flavin mononucleotide (FMN) or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD).

It is apparent from the foregoing that the metabolism of riboflavin in plants and animals is not yet fully understood. Inasmuch as riboflavin occurs in small amounts in all higher plants the possibility exists that it is involved either directly or indirectly in the metabolism of these organisms in some way other than as FMN or FAD. The work reported in this thesis was undertaken in an effort to provide additional information concerning the metabolism of riboflavin in higher plants.

Included in

Botany Commons

Share

COinS