Biosynthesis and accumulation of osmoprotective compounds by halophytic plants of the genus Limonium

Conference · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Plant Physiology, Supplement; (United States)

OSTI ID:5601172

Hanson, A D; Rathinasabapathi, B ^[1]; Gage, D A ^[2]

---

1. Michigan State Univ. Plant Research Lab., East Lansing (United States)
2. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (United States)

Analyses of quaternary ammonium compounds in leaf and root tissues of halophytic Limonium spp. using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry revealed that only 3 out of 21 spp. accumulated glycine betaine, the common angiosperm osmolyte. The 18 other spp. accumulated {beta}-alanine betaine instead. However, all the Limonium spp. studied accumulated choline-O-sulfate and their leaf disks metabolized ({sup 14}C) choline to choline-O-sulfate. Only the glycine betaine accumulators oxidized ({sup 14}C) choline to glycine betaine and only {beta}-alanine betaine accumulators converted {beta}-({sup 14}C)alanine to {beta}-alanine betaine. When {beta}-alanine betaine and glycine betaine accumulators were salinized with NaCl, the levels of their respective betaines and of choline sulfate were closely correlated with solute potential. Glycine betaine accumulators had less choline-O-sulfate than {beta}-alanine betaine accumulators and increasing the SO{sub 4}{sup 2}/Cl ratio in the medium increased choline-O-sulfate and caused a matching decrease in glycine betaine. Thus, it appears that {beta}-alanine betaine has replaced glycine betaine in most members of this genus, eliminating a possible competition between glycine betaine and choline-O-sulfate for choline.

• OSTI ID: 5601172
• Report Number(s): CONF-9107184-; CODEN: PPYSA
• Journal Information: Plant Physiology, Supplement; (United States), Vol. 96:1; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Physiology, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 28 Jul - 1 Aug 1991; ISSN 0079-2241
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BETAINE
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
PLANTS
METABOLISM
ALANINES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHOLINE
GLYCINE
LEAVES
OSMOSIS
ROOTS
SODIUM CHLORIDES
ALCOHOLS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AMINES
AMINO ACIDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
DIFFUSION
DRUGS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
QUATERNARY COMPOUNDS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
551000* - Physiological Systems