DISTRIBUTION OF POLYPRENOLS AND DOLICHOLS IN SOYBEAN PLANT

Using a convenient two-plate thin layer chromatography method, polypre nols and dolichols in soybean plant were analysed. These polyisoprenoi d alcohols were found to occur in different quantities from tissue to tissue. The leaves contained ficaprenols (C-50, C-55, C-60), glycinopr enols (C-45, C-50, C-55) and dolichols (C-80, C-85) with the major bei ng ficaprenols, while the shoots, roots and seeds contained only dolic hols. Analysis of the subcellular distribution of these compounds in t he leaves demonstrated that ficaprenols, glycinoprenols and dolichols were mostly located in the chloroplast. When the chloroplast fraction was incubated with a combination of [1-C-14]isopentenyl diphosphate an d farnesyl diphosphate, radioactive polyprenols composed of C-45, C-50 , C-55 and C-70, C-75 were formed, suggesting that biosynthesis site f or these polyprenols is localized in the chloroplast. The shorter chai n ficaprenols and the longer chain dolichols were also found in the le aves of spinach, perilla, parsley and evergreen magnolia, which are di cotyledonous plants. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd