Cowan, DA/ Green, TGA/ Wilson, AT 1979: Lichen metabolism. 1. The use of tritium labelled water in studies of anhydrobiotic metabolism in Ramalina celastri and Peltigera polydactyla. - New Phytolgist82: 489-503. [RLL List # 104-21 / Rec.# 3618] Keywords: METABOLISM/ RAMALINA/ PELTIGERA/ ANHYDROBIOSIS/ TRITIUM/ TECHNIQUE
Abstract: 8 tables. 7 figures. ["This method has proved effective in a study of a wide range of in vivo metabolic processes occurring at both high and low cellular water contents." Different metabolic systems vary in resistance to desiccation. "It is proposed that the synthesis of amino acids and sugar alcohols at low cellular saturation levles are important physiological processes. Amino acid synthesis results in the acumulation of an available store of stable intermediates, ready to feed into the T.C.A. cycle by transamination or deamination on rehydration of the lichen. Sugar alcohol metabolism assists in the maintenance of a high sugar alcohol concentration to act as a physiological buffer during extreme dehydration."]