Induction of the biosynthesis of agatharesinol, a norlignan, in sapwood sticks of Cryptomeria japonica under humidity-regulated circumstances |
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Authors: | Takanori Imai Masaki Nomura |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Biomass Resources Utilization, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan |
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Abstract: | To establish an experimental approach for studying the biosynthetic pathway of agatharesinol, a norlignan, induction of the
formation of agatharesinol in Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar, sugi) was attempted. Wood sticks were prepared from the sapwood immediately after cutting a sugi tree down,
and they were allowed to stand in desiccators in which the humidity was adjusted to 76% and 88%, and in a room. When the wood
sticks were allowed to stand in 76% humidity and in a room, they dried rapidly and no formation of agatharesinol was demonstrated
by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These results suggest that in the sapwood dried rapidly, the cells that were biologically
active in the sapwood, probably ray parenchyma cells, die rapidly and completely before the biosyntheses of secondary metabolites
including agatharesinol was wholly established. The wood sticks allowed to stand in 88% humidity, on the other hand, dried
gradually compared with the sticks placed in 76% humidity and in a room, and agatharesinol was formed as one of the predominant
ethyl acetate extractives. These results suggest that delaying the drying of the sapwood sticks can control the dying period
to an appropriate length for the ray parenchyma cells, during which the biosynthesis of agatharesinol is induced.
Part of this study was presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Sapporo, August 2004 |
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Keywords: | Biosynthesis Norlignan Agatharesinol Sapwood Cryptomeria japonica |
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