Fatty acid biosynthesis from acetate and CO2 in the developing soybean cotyledon 1

Developing soybean cotyledons rapidly incorporated acetate into fatty acids and water soluble constituents. Oleic acid was the first fatty acid to be detected with 14C and the 14C distribution pattern with time was consistent with its being the precursor of linoleic and linolenic acids. Palmitic or stearic acid did not appear to be the precursor of oleic acid but appeared tobe formed parallel to it. The cotyledons did fix 14CO2 by either dark or light fixation reactions but little 14C was incorporated into lipids.