Abstract
STUDIES of mammalian tissue indicate that free radicals mediate fluorescent product accumulation1–3 and that such products are causatively related to cellular senescence4–7. Fluorescent products isolated from senescent tissues, cells stressed by oxidants such as ozone, or cell-membrane isolates have characteristic fluorescence at 360–380-nm excitation and 440–470-nm emission8. These pigments have been identified in various mammalian tissues1–3, protozoa11, nematodes12, and insects6,13,14. We are not aware of any reports of the occurrence of lipofuscin-like pigments in plant tissues. This study reveals the presence, in ripening fruit, of fluorescent material of spectral characteristics identical to lipofuscin from mammals. The pigment is present at greater concentration in a subcellular fraction than in the whole tissue and has a molecular weight in excess of 4,000. The yield of fluorescent product increases with ripening of banana and pear fruits.
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MAGUIRE, Y., HAARD, N. Fluorescent product accumulation in ripening fruit. Nature 258, 599–600 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258599a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/258599a0
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