A cutin acid in Pinus sylvestris microspores

Nonacosan-10-ol (0.7%) and the cutin acid, 9,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid (0.3%) are present in Pinus sylvestris microspores. The pollen coat hence has some features in common with leaf cuticles.     

Resin acids of Pinus resinosa needles

The principal resin acids in the needles of Pinus resinosa are the labdane diterpenes, the new 8,13-epoxy-14-labden-19-oic acid (epimanoyl oxide acid), 8,13β-epoxy-14-labden-19-oic acid (manoyl oxide acid), 8(17),E-12,14-labdatrien-19-oic acid (communic acid) and 15-oxo-8(17)-labden-19-oic acid (imbricataloic acid). A survey of needles from representative populations of P. resinosa showed a limited variability in resin acid composition consistent with the uniformity of other traits. The composition of needle resin acids for putative P. nigra x resinosa hybrids strongly suggests the improbability of P. resinosa as the pollen parent.     

Polyisoprenols in Pinus sylvestris needles

A polyisoprenoid fraction was isolated from the needles of Pinus sylvestris and comprised about 1% of the dry weight. MS, IR, GLC and HPLC analyses showed that the fraction consisted of polyisoprenylacetates, with 10–19 isoprene units predominantly in the cis configuration.     

Protein in foliage leachates of Pinus radiata

Protein, together with polysaccharide, was identified among components of foliage leachates of Pinus radiata. The protein separated into two main fractions on Sephadex G-75 when eluted with Tris buffer or with sodium dodecyl sulphate. Electrophoresis of the mixture in polyacrylamide gel revealed seven protein-staining bands, while cellulose chromatography using acidic and basic solvents separated the protein into ten ninhydrin- reactive compounds. Acid-catalysed hydrolysis released fourteen amino acids, together with galactose, mannose, fucose, and galacturonic acid as the main monosaccharides.     

Mevalonate kinase from Pinus pinaster seedlings

Cell-free extracts and acetone powder extracts from Pinus pinaster seedlings contain mevalonate kinase which phosphorylates mevalonic acid (MVA). t     

Characterization of ribosomes from the seed of Pinus lambertiana

Ribosomes isolated from seeds of the sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana, have been characterized: The ribosome has a sedimentation coefficient (s_20,w⁰) of 78·2 S and contains 41 % RNA and 58 % protein. On dialysis against buffer containing 0·5-1 mM MgCl₂, the ribosome was reversibly transformed into an intermediate form (60 S). Further removal of Mg²⁺ causes the intermediate ribosome to dissociate into subunits (30 S and 40 S). Treatment of the intermediate ribosome with p-chloromercuribenzoic acid caused the dissociation of the particle into subunits. Incubating the 80 S ribosome with the sulfhydryl reagent caused a rapid transformation of the particle into an intermediate type particle. These results suggest that sulfhydryl groups are involved not only in associating the subunits but also in maintaining the compact structure of the ribosomes. The ribosome contains three ribosomal RNA components of 28 S, 18 S and 5 S. The base compositions of the three ribosomal RNA components are different.     

Composition of turpentine from Pinus edulis wood oleoresin

Monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoid hydrocarbons of Pinus edulis wood oleoresin were analyzed by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Monoterpenoid hydrocarbons (20·3%) were composed mainly of α-pinene, with camphene, β-pinene, 3-carene, sabinene, myrcene, limonene, β-phellandrene, trans-ocimene and terpinolene in secondary to trace amounts. Oxygenated terpenoids (0.28%) contained bornyl acetate and verbenone as major constituents, and linalool, camphor, terpinene-4-ol, citronellyl acetate, borneol, neral, α-terpineol, citronellol, nerol, and geraniol in smaller amounts. Oleoresin contained 1·1% of acetogenins, composed mainly of ethyl caprylate. Sesquiterpenoid hydrocarbons were high (5·7%) in oleoresin) and were composed of germacrene D as a major constituent (36·6%), of γ-amorphene, α-copaene, and longifolene as secondary constituents (5–20%), and β-farnesene, α- and γ-murolenes, β₁-, γ-, δ-, and ε-cadinenes, α-amorphene, δ-guaiene, sibirene, α-cubebene, β-copaene, β-ylangene, sativene, cyclosativene, β-bourbonene, α- and γ-humulenes, caryophyllene, α-longipinene and longicyclene in smaller amounts. Composition of P. edulis and of P. monophylla turpentines was found to be similar, with percentage of ethyl caprylate being the best distinguishing criterion.     

Fatty acids of Pinus elliottii tissues

The total fatty constituents of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) tissue cultures, seeds and seedlings were examined by GLC and MS. Qualitatively, the fatty acid composition of these tissues was very similar to that reported for other pine species. The fatty acid contents of the tissue cultures resembled that of the seedling tissues. In addition to the fatty acids common to botanical materials, Δ⁵-C₁₈ and -C₂₀ nonmethy lene-interrupted polyunsaturated acids were present in low relative abundances. The branched-chain C₁₇ acid reported for several other Pinus species was confirmed as the anteiso isomer.     

Correlations between baltic amber and Pinus resins

The composition of the acid fractions of four pine resins has been studied before and after an ‘ageing’ process. Correlations are established between Baltic amber and ‘aged’ Pinus halepensis resin.     

Monoterpene composition of cortical oleoresin from different clones of Pinus sylvestris

Monoterpene composition of cortical oleoresin was determined in a number of 9-yr-old grafts of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), growing in a clone trial at two different levels of mineral nutrient supply. Variation between clones was considerable for some of the monoterpene constituents, indicating genetic control. In one of the clones, δ³-carene, α-terpinene and terpinolene were totally absent. The monoterpene composition was not significantly affected by the annual application of macro-nutrients.     

(+)-Pinpollitol: A di-O-methyl d-(+)-chiro-inositol from Pinus radiata

(+)-Pinpollitol, a new cyclitol recently isolated from the pollen of Pinus radiata, was found in the needles of this species. (+)-Pinpollitol was found to be a di-O-methyl ether Of d-(+)-chiro-inositol, and tentative isomeric structures have been proposed for the cyclitol. (+)-Pinpollitol is the first di-O-methyl inositol to be found in a gymnosperm and is one of only three di-O-methyl inositols yet found in nature.     

Major resin acids of Pinus nigra needles

Labdane diterpene acids were found to be the major resin acid components in Pinus nigra needles of various seed sources. The major constituents have been identified as 4-epiimbricataloic acid, manoyl oxide 19-oic acid, 4-epicommunic acid, and 15-monomethyl pinifolate. A GC method was developed to analytically differentiate pinifolic acid from its monomethyl ester in an admixture of both compounds. A minor resin acid was identified as 18-acetoxy-8(17)-labden-15-oic acid. 10-Nonacosanol and isoabienol were identified as major constituents of the needle and cortex extractives, respectively.     

Lipid synthesis in germinating Tradescantia pollen

Synthesis of neutral and polar lipids in pollen of Tradescantia paludosa during germination and tube growth was studied by the incorporation of acetate-[1-¹⁴C] into lipids in the presence and absence of inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis. The proteins required for the synthesis of both neutral lipids and phospholipids are not made de novo during germination but are already present in the mature ungerminated pollen grain and they are functionally stable during the first 2 hr of pollen growth.     

Sex hormones and corticosteroids in pollen of Pinus nigra

In continuation of earlier investigations on steroid hormones in the pollen of pine, we have isolated and quantitatively determined the following steroids by radioimmunoassay and fluorimetric methods: testosterone, testosterone together with epitestosterone, respectively, and androstenedione; progesterone was determined by radioimmunoassay alone. In addition, we have tried to isolate cortisol, cortisone, 11-deoxycortisol, corticosterone and 11 -deoxycorticosterone and to characterize these compounds by specific reactions. The intensity of these reactions were used to estimate the amounts of corticosteroids in pollen.     

Novel p-coumaric acid esters from Pinus densiflora pollen

Solvent-extractable lipids in Pinus densiflora pollen were investigated. The cis- and trans-isomers of 1,16-dioxo-, 1-hydroxy-16-oxo- and 1, 16-dihydroxyhexadecan-7-yl p-coumarates were identified.     

Monolignol and dilignol glycosides from Pinus contorta leaves

Four monolignol glucosides have been isolated and identified from the needles of Pinus contorta. Chavicol 4-O-α-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1 →     

On the question of natural hybridization between Pinus discolor and Pinus cembrides

Sixty Pinus cembroides and P. discolor trees from two mixed stands and eight pure stands were analysed for the composition of their wood monoterpenes, number of abaxial and adaxial stomatal rows and the number of needles per fascicle. While by far the majority of the characters analysed showed highly significant differences between the two species, only the sum of thujene, sabinene, γ-terpenene, terpinolene and p-cymene percentages, the sum of myrcene and cis-ocimene percentages, the number of abaxial stomatal rows, and the number of needles per fascicle could be used to evaluate the potential intermediacy of trees from the common sites. The results indicated the absence of any hybridization in the Sierra de la Catarina Mountains of Chihuathua (Mexico) and either a possible minute introgression of P. cembroides into P. discolor in the San Miguelito Mountains of San Luis Potosi (Mexico) or a slightly different genetic composition of the trees from this site. The results strongly support the proposal of Bailey and Hawksworth to regard P. discolor as a distinct species.     

Analysis of 3-indole carboxylic acid in Pinus sylvestris needles

3-Indole carboxylic acid (ICA) has been characterized as an endogenous constituent of Pinus sylvestris needles. Quantitative estimates of 3-indole acetic acid (IAA) and ICA, corrected for both sample losses and the conversion of IAA to ICA occurring during purification, indicate that Pinus needles contain 24.5 ± 6.5 ng IAA/g and 2.3 ± 0.4 ng ICA/g.     

Terpene composition of Pinus pinaster seedlings and plants

-The production of essential oils in Pinus pinaster increases with the age of the seedlings, being higher in plants grown under continuous illumination. In the seedlings, nearly all the terpene is α- and β-pinene, the relative proportions of which are completely reversed between the 6th and 10th days of growth, regardless of the illumination period. Another reversion takes place after 60–65 days, the proportion found in the adult pine being very constant with α-pinene as the main component. The amount of oil in seedlings from high resin yielding parent trees was 4-fold higher than that in seedlings of normal (wild type) seeds. This finding is interesting because it can be employed for the preselection at the early stage of seedling of seeds to be used in forestry to obtain plantations of a high resin yield.     

Binding of ferulic acid to cell walls by peroxidases of Pinus elliottii

Lignin is formed abundantly in the maturing walls of slash pine cambial cells, but very little in slash pine callus cell walls. Peroxidases removed from the cytoplasm of callus or cambial cells with phosphate buffer (soluble peroxidase), from the walls with NACl (ionically bound peroxidase), and from the walls with cellulase (covalently bound peroxidase) differed in their capacity to catalyze bond formation between carbohydrate and ferulic acid or its condensation products. Bond formation per unit of enzyme was highest in the peroxidases of cambium, especially in those attached ionically or covalently to the cell walls. The wall-bound peroxidases also catalyzed the strongest linkages between lignin monomers and carbohydrates as estimated by their resistance to hydrolysis by NaOH.