Open AccessHigh Resolution Solid State 13C NMR Spectroscopy of Sporopollenins from Different Plant Taxa
Author(s) -
William H. Guilford,
Diane M. Schneider,
Jeffrey N. Labovitz,
Stanley J. Opella
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
plant physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.554
H-Index - 312
eISSN - 1532-2548
pISSN - 0032-0889
DOI - 10.1104/pp.86.1.134
Subject(s) - sporopollenin , chemistry , ketone , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , organic chemistry , ether , carotenoid , botany , pollen , biology , biochemistry
The extremely chemically resistant component of the cell wall of spores, pollens, and some microorganisms, sporopollenin, is generally accepted to be derived from carotenoids or carotenoid esters. However, we report here that (13)C NMR analyses of sporopollenin from several sources shows that this widely held view is incorrect, with one possible exception. Sporopollenin is not a unique substance but rather a series of related biopolymers derived from largely saturated precursors such as fatty acids. The biopolymers contain widely varying amounts of oxygen in the form of ether, hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, ester, and ketone groups.