Phytotoxic and antifungal compunds from legume seeds that accumulate glactomannan and xyloglucan as cell wall storage polysacharides / Substancias fitotoxicas e antifungicas em sementes de leguminosas que acumulam gelactomanano e xiloglucano como carboidratos de reservas de parede celular

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. and Hymenaea courbaril L. var. stilbocarpa (Fabaceae) are two tropical legume species with seeds that contain galactomannan and xyloglucan, respectively, as seed storage polysaccharides, which are broken down after germination, generating large amounts of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides. Part of these sugars is released to the environment, but no contamination is observed. Previous studies demonstrated that these seed leachates have antifungal and phytotoxic activity and also suggested that oligosaccharides derived from galactomannan can act as signaling molecules in plant defense mechanisms. However, exudation, chemical structure and biological activities of the compounds have not been studied. Therefore, the aims of this work were to study the release of the bioactive compounds from seeds of S. virgata and H. courbaril, to elucidate their chemical structure and to analyze the influence of galactomannan oligosaccharides on the production of these substances in S. virgata. Seeds of S. virgata and H. courbaril were germinated at 25º C and photoperiod of 12 h, and the leachates were collected at different periods of the imbibition process, and submitted to phytotoxic bioassays with seeds of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and tomato (Solanum ycopersicum L.). For compound isolation, extracts of seeds and leachates were obtained in large amounts and fractionated in silica gel columns with different gradient of dichloromethane and methanol. The fractions collected were assayed in vitro with seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana L. and rice (Oryza sativa L.). The antifungal activity of the extracts and fractions were determined by bioautography and microdilution tests. The compounds were identified and characterized by 13C NMR and 1H NMR (1-D and 2-D) techniques. Compounds were also detected and quantified by HPLC, HPLC-MS and GC-MS. Our results showed that both seeds exude antifungal and phytotoxic metabolites at the beginning of imbibition process. The flavonoid (+)-catechin is the major phytotoxin in the S. virgata seed exudates, being found in the seed coat and leached in high amounts at the first day of imbibition. Quercetin was also found in the seed coat of S. virgata seeds, but it is not released during germination. The alkaloid sesbanimide A was detected in the embryo and exudates extracts of S. virgata, being the most important antifungal compound found in the extracts. Seeds of S. virgata imbibed with a galactomannan oligosaccharide solution leached more (+)-catechin than those imbibed in distilled water, suggesting that these molecules can act as oligosaccharins. Two biscoumarin, ipomopsin, previously reported in other plant species, and hymenain, a novel one, were identified in embryo extracts of H. courbaril. These compounds are also released by the seeds during germination, and showed a phytotoxic effect on roots of A. thaliana seedlings when co-applied, but they have not antifungal activity. Escopoletin were also detected in the embryo extracts, and showed antifungal activity to Cladosporium sphaerospermum Pemzig. Additionally, the biscoumarin and scopoletin, showed antioxidant activity, hymenain being the substance with higher scavenger activity to DPPH free radical, suggesting its involvement in the protection of the cells against free radical damages. Our findings related to the phytotoxic, antifungal, and antioxidant activities of metabolites isolated from seeds of S. virgata and H. courbaril suggest that they could act as adaptive strategies that contribute to the success of the initial establishment of these species

ASSUNTO(S)

substancias fitotoxicas phytotoxic compounds substancias antifungicas exsudatos de sementes antifungal compounds seed exudates

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