ePrints@IIScePrints@IISc Home | About | Browse | Latest Additions | Advanced Search | Contact | Help

Changes in the Levels of Free Amino Acids in Various Regions of Cuscuta during Growth

Paliyath, Gopinadhan and Mahadevan, S (1988) Changes in the Levels of Free Amino Acids in Various Regions of Cuscuta during Growth. In: Plant and Cell Physiology, 29 (6). pp. 945-950.

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)
Official URL: http://pcp.oxfordjournals.org/content/29/6/945.abs...

Abstract

The angiospermous plant parasite Cuscuta derives reduced carbon and nitrogen compounds primarily from its host. Free amino acids along Cuscuta vines in three zones, viz., 0 to 5 cm, 5 to 15 cm, and 15 to 30 cm, which in a broad sense represent the region of cell division, cell elongation and differentiation and vascular tissue differentiation respectively, were quantitatively estimated. The free amino acid content was the highest in the 0 to 5 cm region and progressively decreased along the posterior regions of the vine. The haustorial region showed the lowest content of free amino acids. In general, the free amino acid content in samples collected at 7 p.m. was found to be higher than that in the samples collected at 7 a.m. Three basic amino acids, histidine, the uncommon amino acid γ-hydroxyarginine, and arginine constituted more than 50% of the total free amino acids in all the zones studied except the haustorial region. Aspartic acid and glutamic acid constituted the major portion in the acidic and neutral fraction of amino acids. Glutamine, asparagine, threonine, and serine were eluted together and occurred in substantial amounts. γ-Hydroxyarginine constituted the largest fraction in the cut end exudate of Cuscuta and presumably appeared to be the major form of transport amino acid. γ-Hydroxyarginine was also a major constituent of the basic amino acids in Cuscuta vines parasitizing host plants from widely separated families, suggesting that this amino acid is a biosynthetic product of the parasite rather than that of the hosts. Also, U-14C arginine was converted to γ-hydroxyarginine by cut Cuscuta vines, suggesting that γ-hydroxyarginine is synthesized de novo from arginine by Cuscuta.

Item Type: Journal Article
Publication: Plant and Cell Physiology
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Additional Information: Copyright of this article belongs to Oxford University Press.
Keywords: Cuscuta;Free amino acid;Gamma hydroxyarginine;Growth;Plant parasite;Transport.
Department/Centre: Division of Biological Sciences > Biochemistry
Date Deposited: 06 Sep 2010 09:39
Last Modified: 06 Sep 2010 09:39
URI: http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/32059

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item