Elsevier

Phytochemistry

Volume 37, Issue 4, 7 November 1994, Pages 975-977
Phytochemistry

Thiol composition of a xylem-tapping mistletoe and the xylem sap of its hosts

Dedicated to Prof. Dr L. C. Hūbert Ziegler on the occasion of his seventieth birthday.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)89512-6Get rights and content

Abstract

Considerable amounts of low Mr thiols were found in leaves, flowers and stems of the European mistletoe Viscum album (L.). Leaf thiol contents were the highest so far reported for green tissue. Thiol composition was similar in all mistletoe organs analysed. Glutathione was the predominant low Mr thiol of V. album independent of xylem sap thiol composition of the host. From the present findings it may be concluded that either cysteine removed from the xylem sap of the host is rapidly incorporated into glutathione in the endophytic system, or glutathione is selectively removed from the xylem sap of the host. The significance of de novo reduction of sulphate taken from the xylem sap of the host for the mistletoe's thiol composition and content remains to be elucidated.

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    Citation Excerpt :

    In particular, cysteine (3) contributes 4–11% and γ-glutamyl-cysteine (4) l-5% to the total thiol present in Viscum album L. (Rennenberg et al., 1994). The fact that the amount of Xylem sap thiol of host plants are significantly lower than those of Viscum album L. organs (Rennenberg et al., 1994), further supports chemical substance transmission from the host to Viscum species. The 1d-1-O-methyl-muco-inositol (11), the main cyclitol (Richter, 1992), can be stored in large amounts (up to 8.4% of the dry weight) in Viscum album L. (Richter et al., 1990).

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Present address: Long Asthon Research Station, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol, Long Ashton, Bristol BS18 9AF, U.K.

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