An esterase is involved in geraniol production during palmarosa inflorescence development

    Authors

    V. S. Dubey; R. Bhalla;R. Luthra

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Phytochemistry

    Keywords

    Cymbopogon martinii; Gramineae; essential oil; geraniol; geranyl acetate; esterase; monoterpenoids; palmarosa inflorescence; CYMBOPOGON-FLEXUOSUS STAPF; HIGHER-PLANTS; BIOSYNTHESIS; METABOLISM; PURIFICATION; LEAF; MONOTERPENES; MARTINII; PATHWAY; LEAVES; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Plant Sciences

    Abstract

    Total incorporation of exogenously administered [2-C-14]acetate into essential oil of paltuarosa (Cymbopogon martinii) was found to be relatively higher than that of either [U-C-14]sucrose or [U-C-14]glucose during inflorescence development. Among the major essential oil constituents, biogenesis of geranyl acetate was much higher than that of geraniol. Alkaline hydrolysis of [C-14]labeled geranyl acetate revealed that the majority of the label incorporated into geranyl acetate was present in the geraniol moiety, indicating that only newly synthesized geraniol gets acetylated to form geranyl acetate. Geranyl acetate cleaving esterase (GAE) activity followed a similar pattern during both in vivo and in vitro inflorescence development, with maximum activity at immature inflorescence stages. suggesting the involvement of GAE in geraniol production during inflorescence development. Five esterase isozymes (Est-A to E) were detected in the enzymic fraction of palmarosa inflorescence and all showed GAE activity, with Est-B being significantly increased during inflorescence development. The role of GAE in geraniol production and improving the palmarosa oil quality is discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Phytochemistry

    Volume

    63

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-2003

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    257

    Last Page

    264

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000183045300004

    ISSN

    0031-9422

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