Sort each compound as a primary or a secondary metabolite…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Sort each compound as a primary or a secondary metabolite.
- Glutamic acid, an amino acid made in every cell of a leaf.
- Vinblastin, a drug from the plant Catharanthus roseus.
- The latex that is turned into rubber.
- Glucose.
- Curcumin, the yellow pigment of turmeric.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Grinding a tissue in trichloroacetic acid and straining it gives the filtrate (the acid-soluble pool of small molecules) and the retentate (the acid-insoluble fraction of large molecules). Lipids are small but come down with the large ones inside membrane vesicles. Drying removes water; burning dry matter leaves ash, the inorganic elements. A cell is 70 to 90 per cent water. Primary metabolites have known roles; secondary metabolites include alkaloids, rubber, drugs, pigments and gums.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) Primary. Amino acids have known roles in every cell.
Step 2. (b) Secondary. It is a drug.
Step 3. (c) Secondary. Rubber is a polymeric product, not needed for the plant's basic life.
Step 4. (d) Primary. Sugars have known roles.
Step 5. (e) Secondary. It is a pigment.
Answer: (a) primary; (b) secondary; (c) secondary; (d) primary; (e) secondary.
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