POLYAMINE ANALYSIS OF CROWN GALL AND NORMAL ROOT, STEM, LEAF, FRUIT AND SEED IN ROSEALES AND FAGALES PLANTS

To determine taxonomically specific plant polyamines and organ-specific plant polyamines, the polyamines acid-extracted from crown galls in addition to normal roots, stems, leaves, fruits, and seeds of 11 Roseales plants and a Fagales plant of the phylum Angiospermae were quantitatively analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance gas chromatography. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine were detected ubiquitously as the major polyamines present in the plant organs. The crown galls on the stem of cherry (Cerasus), apple (Malus) and oak (Quercus), caused by the infection of phytopathogenic Rhizobium (Agrobacterium), were rich in homospermidine in addition to the three major polyamines and minor norspermine and/or thermospermine also found in the normal stems. The concentrations of the three polyamines in the young leaves were decreased in the fallen (aged) leaves in two mulberry (Morus) samples. High homospermidine level was observed in the roots of the cherry and mulberries. In addition to similar distribution of the three major polyamines, diaminopropane, cadaverine, norspermidine and homospermidine were detected sporadically as a minor polyamine in the eight Roseales fruits, apple, loquat (Eriobotrya), fig (Ficus), mulberry, apricot (Prunus), peach (Prunus), plum (Prunus) and pear (Pyrus). In pear fruit, the skin of the fruit had a lower polyamine level. Cellular polyamines function in adapting to the environment of plant growth.