Abstract
THE discovery of a strong negative phototropism to ultra-violet illumination in Phycomyces sporangiophores1 focuses attention on the presence of ultraviolet-absorbing substances in these organs. Such a substance might function as a primary photosensitive pigment, as a screening pigment, or possibly as both. This report concerns how I have isolated an ultra-violet-absorbing substance from sporangiophores of Phycomyces blakesleeanus and shown this substance to be gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxy benzoic acid). It is well known that gallic acid is produced by a Phycomyces mycelium2,3, and the presence of gallic acid in Sporangiophores has been briefly noted by Schröter4.
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References
Curry, G. M., and Gruen, H. E., Nature, 179, 1028 (1957).
Bernhard, K., and Albrecht, H., Helvet. chim. Acta, 30, 627 (1947).
Brucker, W., Flora, 142, 343 (1955).
Schröter, H.-B., Kulturpflanze, 1, 49 (1956).
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DENNISON, D. Gallic Acid in Phycomyces Sporangiophores. Nature 184, 2036 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/1842036a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1842036a0
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