THE OCCURRENCE AND OTHER ASPECTS OF N-METHYL ALANINE (NMA) AND N-METHYL SERINE (NMS) IN DICHAPETALUM CYMOSUM (ENGL.) (GIFBLAAR) AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DICHAPETALACEAE

Summary

The isolation and characterization of two novel plant amino acids N-methyl alanine and N-methyl serine are described briefly. It is shown that these amino acids are not toxic and do not form part of Gifblaar protein. The concentration of these amino acids and fluoroacetate was determined in different parts of Gifblaar. In an examination of the amino acid composition of 16 other members of the Dichapetalaceae it was found that N-methyl alanine occurs in six and N-methyl serine in three other species of Dichapetalum.