KozLOWSKi : Primary Synthesis of Proteids 37 



Taking into consideration the qualitative and quantitative rela- 

 tions of compounds derived from tlic proteids through the action of 

 baryta-water under high temperature (200^ C.) and pressure, 

 Scliutzenberger * gives formulae for albumin and gelatin, which 



are perhaps premature as to minute details, but no doubt give 

 quite an adequate expression of the fundamental facts both phy- 

 siological and chemical by putting at the base of the proteid mole- 

 cule, two groups, the carbamide and the oxamide : 



N = N == t 



CO <N= ""'^"^ C2O. < N 



CII, 

 ^ .CO — C.IIg — NH— C,TT^ — NIT — CH ^CO,II 



^^ ^ ^ < CO — C,iL — Nil — CAL — N — CIL — CH, — CO 

 CO <^ H ' - - ' 



^'<C0 — C2II4 — CII — Nil — CH, — CII— Nil — CH^ — CO,H 



\ 



^ R''^ 



The presence of these two groups will enable us to give an ac- 

 count of two very general facts concerning the chemistry of organ- 

 ization. 



This is practically all that we know about the final product of 

 synthesis of nitrogen compounds in plants. We shall take next 

 into consideration the physiological facts elucidating that synthesis. 



In the first place may be noted the changes of proteids in the 

 germination of seeds. As colloids, they cannot be transferred from 

 cell to cell unless they are decomposed into simpler crystalline 

 bodies. A long series of investigations has show^n that this transfer 

 is performed in the shape of amides. 



Asparagin is to be found in very many sprouting plants while 

 it is not present in their seeds. AsparagiA is not soluble in 

 alcohol and w^hcn sections of plants are placed in that liquid it is 

 deposited in characteristic crystals. By means of this reaction 

 Pfeffer has shown that many seedlings contain asparagin, whether 

 growing in light or in darkness ; in other plants it is not present 

 This asparagin is obviously derived from the proteids contained in 



* See the article of that author in the second supplement to the Dictionnaire de 

 Chemie of Wurtz (1892). 



f We quote here the condensed formula of Schiitzenberger, given by Goutier in his 

 Chimie de la cellule vivantem, 1S95 : 



