Chemical Identity of a Rotting Animal-Like Odor Emitted from the Inflorescence of the Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum) | Zendy

Mika Shirasu | Zendy; Kouki Fujioka | Zendy; Satoshi Kakishima | Zendy; Shunji Nagai | Zendy; Yasuko Tomizawa | Zendy; Hirokazu Tsukaya | Zendy; Jin Murata | Zendy; Yoshinobu Manome | Zendy; Kazushige Touhara | Zendy

Open Access

Chemical Identity of a Rotting Animal-Like Odor Emitted from the Inflorescence of the Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum)

Author(s) -

Mika Shirasu,

Kouki Fujioka,

Satoshi Kakishima,

Shunji Nagai,

Yasuko Tomizawa,

Hirokazu Tsukaya,

Jin Murata,

Yoshinobu Manome,

Kazushige Touhara

Publication year - 2010

Publication title -

bioscience biotechnology and biochemistry

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.509

H-Index - 116

eISSN - 1347-6947

pISSN - 0916-8451

DOI - 10.1271/bbb.100692

Subject(s) - odor , inflorescence , botany , biology , amorphophallus , chemistry , horticulture , neuroscience

The titan arum, Amorphophallus titanum, is a flowering plant with the largest inflorescence in the world. The flower emits a unique rotting animal-like odor that attracts insects for pollination. To determine the chemical identity of this characteristic odor, we performed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry analysis of volatiles derived from the inflorescence. The main odorant causing the smell during the flower-opening phase was identified as dimethyl trisulfide, a compound with a sulfury odor that has been found to be emitted from some vegetables, microorganisms, and cancerous wounds.

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