- NOTE
- Published:
Induction of the biosynthesis of agatharesinol, a norlignan, in sapwood sticks of Cryptomeria japonica under humidity-regulated circumstances
Journal of Wood Science volume 51, pages 537–541 (2005)
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.
References
Suzuki S, Umezawa T, Shimada M (2001) Norlignan biosynthesis in Asparagus officinalis L.: the norlignan originated from two non-identical phenylalanine units. J Chem Soc Perkin Trans I 3252–3257
Suzuki S, Nakatsubo T, Umezawa T, Shimada M (2002) First norlignan in vitro formation with Asparagus officinalis enzyme preparation. Chem Commun 1088–1089
H Ohashi T Goto T Imai M Yasue (1988) ArticleTitleAccumulation and distribution of extractives in the living stem of Cryptomeria japonica Res Bull Fac Agric Gifu Univ 53 301–314
H Ohashi T Imai K Yoshida M Yasue (1990) ArticleTitleCharacterization of physiological functions of sapwood: fluctuation of extractives in the withering process of Japanese cedar sapwood Holzforschung 44 79–86
H Ohashi T Imai (1990) ArticleTitleCharacterization of physiological functions of sapwood: synthesis and accumulation of heartwood extractives in the withering process of immature Japanese cedar trunk Holzforschung 44 317–323
H Ohashi N Kato T Imai S Kawai (1991) ArticleTitleCharacterization of physiological functions of sapwood: fluctuation of heartwood extractives in the withering process of Japanese cedar sapwood fed an inhibitor of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase Holzforschung 45 245–252
T Higuchi K Fukazawa M Shimada (1967) ArticleTitleBiochemical studies on the heartwood formation Res Bull Coll Exp Forest Hokk Univ 25 167–193
T Nobuchi H Harada (1983) ArticleTitlePhysiological features of the “white zone” of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don): cytological structure and moisture content Mokuzai Gakkaishi 29 824–832
W Su J Fang Y Cheng (1995) ArticleTitleFlavonoids and lignans from leaves of Cryptomeria japonica Phytochemistry 40 563–566
T Imai M Sato N Takaku S Kawai H Ohashi M Nomura M Kushi (2005) ArticleTitleCharacterization of physiological functions of sapwood IV: Formation and accumulation of lignans in sapwood of Cryptomeria japonica after felling Holzforschung 59 418–421
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Part of this study was presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Sapporo, August 2004
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Imai, T., Nomura, M. Induction of the biosynthesis of agatharesinol, a norlignan, in sapwood sticks of Cryptomeria japonica under humidity-regulated circumstances. J Wood Sci 51, 537–541 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-004-0675-6
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-004-0675-6