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Accumulation of lipids, proteins, alkaloids and anthocyanins during embryo development in vivo of Theobroma cacao L.
Author(s) -
Wright D. C.,
Park W. D.,
Leopold N. R.,
Hasegawa P. M.,
Janick J.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02636146
Subject(s) - dry weight , chemistry , theobroma , food science , oleic acid , fatty acid , ripening , linolenic acid , linoleic acid , botany , biochemistry , biology
Developing embryos of Theobroma cacao ranging in weight from 0.01–2.2 g dry weight, equivalent to 100–180 days postpollination, were analyzed for lipids, alkaloids, proteins, and anthocyanins. Total lipid, fatty acid, triglyceride, alkaloid, and anthocyanin accumulation increased linearly after an initial lag with embryo dry weight. Palmitic, stearic, arachidic, and oleic acids had constant rates of accumulation per micromole of total fatty acid (0.29, 0.27, 0.38, and 0.01, respectively); however, linoleic and linolenic acid accumulation decreased from 0.2 and 0.02 below 0.2 g dry weight to 0.035 and 0.0035 above 0.2 g dry weight, respectively. Monounsaturated triglycerides [palmito‐oleo‐stearin (POS), oleo‐distearin (SOS), and oleo‐dipalmitin (POP)] continued to accumulate as dry weight increased but polyunsaturated triglycerides [palmito‐diolein (POO), stearo‐diolein (SOO), linoleo‐dipalmitin (PLP), and palmito‐linoleo‐olein (PLO)] ceased to accumulate at about 0.4 g dry weight. Theobromine accumulation increased linearly with dry weight after an initial lag but the rate differed with cultivar. Caffeine accumulation was low until the final stages of development. The protein pattern became dominated by 4 protein species with apparent molecular weights of 43, 34, 22, and 14 kDa as embryos matured.