ABSTRACT
This chapter covers metabolic activities other than isoprenic anabolism in order to describe the biochemical functioning of latex. The complexity of the kinetic properties of plant phosphofructokinase is found in the enzyme in Hevea brasiliensis latex. The almost complete absence of glucose and fructose in fresh latex nevertheless appears to indicate that the first stage of phosphorylation of sugars does not limit glycolysis. Lactate dehydrogenase's potential activity is relatively high in latex and relatively constant from one sample to another. Alcohol dehydrogenase activity has also been revealed in latex cytosol. As is generally the case, they are located in the cytosol and their potential activity has been measured. The physiological role of these enzymes in latex has been specified with respect to the reactions that they catalyze. The glyoxylate cycle discovered by Kornberg and Madsen, and which is also referred to as the "glyoxylic bypass", is characterized by the production of succinate and glyoxylate from isocitrate and acetate.
