Effects of methyl jasmonate on accumulation of flavonoids in seedlings of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench).

The jasmonates, which include jasmonic acid and its methyl ester (MJ), play a central role in regulating the biosynthesis of many secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, and also are signaling molecules in environmental stresses. Synthesis of anthocyanins pigments is a final part of flavonoids pathway route. Accumulation of the pigments in young seedlings is stimulated by various environmental stresses, such as high-intensity light, wounding, pathogen attack, drought, sugar and nutrient deficiency. The anthocyanins take part in defense system against excess of light and UV-B light, and therefore it is probably main reason why young plant tissues accumulate enlarged levels of the pigments. The effects of exogenously applied MJ on level of anthocyanins, glycosides of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin and proanthocyanidins in seedlings of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) were studied. MJ decreased contents of all the found cyanidin glycosides and its aglycone in hypocotyls of buckwheat seedlings. However contents of particular anthocyanins in cotyledons of buckwheat seedlings treated with the plant hormone were not significantly different from the control. Applied doses of MJ did not affect levels of quercetin, apigenin and luteolin glycosides in the analyzed parts of buckwheat seedlings: cotyledons and hypocotyls. On the other hand, treatment of buckwheat seedlings with MJ clearly stimulated of proanthocyanidins biosynthesis in hypocotyls. We suggest that methyl jasmonate induces in hypocotyls of buckwheat seedlings the leucocyanidin reductase or anthocyanidin reductase, possible enzymes in proanthocyanidins synthesis, and/or inhibits anthocyanidin synthase, which transforms leucocyanidin into cyanidin. According to our knowledge this is the first report regarding the effect of methyl jasmonate on enhancing the accumulation of proanthocyanidins in cultivated plants.

Molecular structure of fagopyritol A1 (O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-D-chiro-inositol) by NMR.

The molecular structure of fagopyritol A1, a novel galactopyranosyl cyclitol from buckwheat seeds, was determined to be O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-D-chiro-inositol by 1H and 13C NMR. Fagopyritol A1 is a positional isomer of fagopyritol B1 (O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-D-chiro-inositol), representing a different series of fagopyritol oligomers. Trimethylsilyl derivatives of both compounds have similar mass spectra, but each may be identified by different abundance ratios of fragments with m/z 305/318 and 318/319.

Galactosylpinitols isolated from vetch (Vicia villosa roth.) seeds.

Three alpha-galactosides of D-pinitol: 1D-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->2)-4-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 1, 1D-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1- ->2)-4-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 2, and 1D-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-- >6)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-4-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 3, present in vetch seeds, were isolated, purified, and quantitatively determined using column and high-resolution gas chromatography. Their structures were established by (1)H and (13)C NMR 1D and 2D techniques.

Fagopyritol B1, O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-D-chiro-inositol, a galactosyl cyclitol in maturing buckwheat seeds associated with desiccation tolerance.

O-alpha-D-Galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-D-chiro-inositol, herein named fagopyritol B1, was identified as a major soluble carbohydrate (40% of total) in buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, Polygonaceae) embryos. Analysis of hydrolysis products of purified compounds and of the crude extract led to the conclusion that buckwheat embryos have five alpha-galactosyl D-chiro-inositols: fagopyritol A1 and fagopyritol B1 (mono-galactosyl D-chiro-inositol isomers), fagopyritol A2 and fagopyritol B2 (di-galactosyl D-chiro-inositol isomers), and fagopyritol B3 (tri-galactosyl D-chiro-inositol). Other soluble carbohydrates analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography included sucrose (42% of total), D-chiro-inositol, myo-inositol, galactinol, raffinose and stachyose (1% of total), but no reducing sugars. All fagopyritols were readily hydrolyzed by alpha-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22) from green coffee bean, demonstrating alpha-galactosyl linkage. Retention time of fagopyritol B1 was identical to the retention time of O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-D-chiro-inositol from soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill, Leguminosae), suggesting that the alpha-galactosyl linkage is to the 2-position of D-chiro-inositol. Accumulation of fagopyritol B1 was associated with acquisition of desiccation tolerance during seed development and maturation in planta, and loss of fagopyritol B1 correlated with loss of desiccation tolerance during germination. Embryos of seeds grown at 18 degrees C, a condition that favors enhanced seed vigor and storability, had a sucrose-to-fagopyritol B1 ratio of 0.8 compared to a ratio of 2.46 for seeds grown at 25 degrees C. We propose that fagopyritol B1 facilitates desiccation tolerance and storability of buckwheat seeds.