Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Insect molting hormone and sterol biosynthesis in spinach

Conference · · Plant Physiology, Supplement; (USA)
OSTI ID:5628261
;  [1]
  1. Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton (USA)

Insect molting hormones, which are produced by plants and are effective molecules in the control of insect crop pests, are biosynthesized in developing spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea L.). The major sterols biosynthesized by spinach are avenasterol (24{alpha}-ethyl-5{alpha}-cholesta-7,24(28)-dien-3{beta}-ol), spinasterol (24{alpha}-ethyl-5{alpha}-cholesta-7,22-dien-3{beta}-ol), and 22-dihydrospinasterol (24{alpha}-ethyl-5{alpha}-cholest-7-en-3{beta}-ol). The major ecdysteroids biosynthesized are ecdysterone (2{beta},3{beta},14{alpha},20R,22R,25-hexahydroxy-5{beta}-cholest-7-en-6-one) and polypodine B (2{beta},3{beta},5{beta},14{alpha},20R,22R,25-heptahycroxycholest-7-en-6-one) and polypodine B (2{beta},3{beta},5{beta},14{alpha},20R,22R,25-heptahydroxycholest-7-en-6-one). When labeled 2-{sup 14}C-mevalonic acid was incorporated into young leaves isolated squalene, sterols and ecdysteroids contained the label. During a short (16 h) incorporation period in intact young leaves of 100 day old plants, the avenasterol has the highest specific activity in counts per minute per {mu}g of sterol followed by 22-dihydrospinasterol which is more highly labeled than spinasterol. The ecdysteroids synthesized, on an entire plant basis, account for 20% of the total steroid (sterol and ecdysteroid) isolated from the plant.

OSTI ID:
5628261
Report Number(s):
CONF-9007196--
Journal Information:
Plant Physiology, Supplement; (USA), Journal Name: Plant Physiology, Supplement; (USA) Vol. 93:1; ISSN PPYSA; ISSN 0079-2241
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English