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Photo-induced Hydroxylation of Cinnamic Acid in Gherkin Hypocotyls

Nature volume 208, pages 1117–1119 (1965)Cite this article

Abstract

THE influence of light of different spectral regions on the synthesis of hydroxycinnamic acids in the hypocotyls of gherkin seedlings has been described previously1. This phenol synthesis can be stimulated considerably by supplying segments from the hypocotyls with trans-cinnamic acid. In the latter case about 95 per cent of the end-product consists of a glucose ester of p-coumaric acid, as was determined with paper chromatography. Light stimulates the conversion of cinnamic acid to p-coumaric acid. The occurrence in plant material of a hydroxylase which catalyses this reaction has been demonstrated by Nair and Vining2. They showed that tetrahydrofolic acid and a reduced pyridine nucleotide were necessary to obtain maximum enzyme activity. The feeding experiments with cinnamic acid enable us to investigate how far the accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acids in the hypocotyls of intact seedlings in response to light is determined by changes in hydroxylase activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philips Research Laboratories, N.V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    G. ENGELSMA

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  1. G. ENGELSMA
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ENGELSMA, G. Photo-induced Hydroxylation of Cinnamic Acid in Gherkin Hypocotyls. Nature 208, 1117–1119 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/2081117a0

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