Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Elucidating the Metabolism of 2,4-Dibromophenol in Plants
Published on: February 10, 2023
Metabolism of hydrogen cyanide by higher plants
1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, Davis, California 95616.
Abstract:
A survey has been made of the occurrence and distribution of three enzymes which metabolize cyanide in a variety of higher plants including both cyanogenic and non-cyanogenic species. The enzymes investigated were beta-cyanoalanine synthase, rhodanese and formamide hydrolyase. beta-Cyanoalanine synthase was found to be present in every higher plant tested whereas rhodanese was found to occur far less commonly in plants. Formamide hydrolyase activity was not detected in any of the higher plants tested.In addition, quantitative analyses have been made of the potential hydrogen cyanide content of each plant investigated. A general trend was apparent between the hydrogen cyanide potential and cyanide metabolizing activity, in that the higher the hydrogen cyanide potential, in general, the higher the cyanide metabolizing activity.
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Metabolism
Plant Metabolism
Sunlight, the primary source of energy in plants, is first absorbed by the chlorophyll pigments present in their leaves. Plants then use this energy to carry out photosynthesis, where water is oxidized into oxygen and carbon dioxide...
Aldehydes and Ketones with HCN: Cyanohydrin Formation Overview
Aldehydes and Ketones with HCN: Cyanohydrin Formation Mechanism
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
C4 Pathway and CAM
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Bioremediation

