The Chromatograms Case

After completing the experiment, the chromatograms which represented our results for the experiment showed R.F values exactly the same as the controls we had. When the experiments were completed, we ran chromatography on the products obtained as well as controls. The chromatograms of the controls are for comparison with the expected products, allowing us to tell whether a certain products was present or not. Products the same as that in the control have the same R.F values as the control. Our R.F values were the same as for those in the controls for the expected products. This means that the experiment was conducted well, but like every other experiment it was also prone to possible human errors such as-cross contamination of the chemicals we were using, skipping a procedure during the course of the practical and adding the wrong chemicals to a particular tube. Failure to stop the experiment at the right time may have had an impact on the results obtained as well. In one of our chromatograms, a spot for glutamate did not appear when we ran a chromatography of the products we obtained in the second experiment. This could've been because fumarate was added to the tube instead of citrate. Fumarate gets converted to Aspartate and Pyruvate whereas citrate gets converted to glutamate and pyruvate. Therefore addition of fumerate to the tube resulted in the aspartate spot being present instead of the glutamate. Results obtained in experiment 2,presence of aspartate to instead of glutamate , were the only anomaly from the expected results of the experiment.

Our results therefore reflect that amino acid metabolism is directly linked to carbohydrate metabolism through fumarate and citrate which are part of the citric acid cycle in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Conversion of the citrate and fumarate to alpha keto acids with the addition of an amine group can produce simple amino acids such as Aspartate and glutamate.

In conclusion our bodies through the liver can produce such the simple amino acids from intermediates of the citric acid cycle when the conditions are appropriate in the cells.