Title

An Esterase Is Involved In Geraniol Production During Palmarosa Inflorescence Development

Keywords

Cymbopogon martinii; Essential oil; Geraniol; Geranyl acetate esterase; Gramineae; Monoterpenoids; Palmarosa inflorescence

Abstract

Total incorporation of exogenously administered [2-14C]acetate into essential oil of palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii) was found to be relatively higher than that of either [U-14C]sucrose or [U-14C]glucose during inflorescence development. Among the major essential oil constituents, biogenesis of geranyl acetate was much higher than that of geraniol. Alkaline hydrolysis of [14C]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. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Publication Title

Phytochemistry

Volume

63

Issue

3

Number of Pages

257-264

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00114-6

Socpus ID

0038445380 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0038445380

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