Die Aminosäuren der Gattung Albizia Durazz (Mimosaceae): The Amino Acids of the Genus Albizia Durazz (Mimosaceae)

Abstract

Summary By means of thin-layer chromatography on MN 300-HR cellulose and with the aid of a modified polychromatic Ninhydrin reagent and several newly developed multiple spray reagents, 36 authentic protein and non-protein amino acids have been clearly separated and estimated. With the help of this method, a survey was made on the amino acids present in the 70 % EtOH fraction of the seeds of 29 species of Mimosacean plants belonging to 3 sections of the genus Albizia and representing about 20 per cent of the known Albizia species. 26 of the investigated species contain large amounts of albizziine (L- α -amino- β -ureidopropionic acid) in their seeds. Only the three species Albizia polyphylla F ourn , A. polymorpha F ourn , and A. glaberrima (S chumach et T honn ) B enth do not contain albizziine. A. polyphylla F ourn and A. polymorpha F ourn are unique in possessing mimosine ( β -N-(3-hydroxy-4-pyridone)- α -aminopropionic acid), 5-hydroxy-pipecolic acid, and dichrostachic acid. L-Djenkolic acid (methylene-bis-cysteine), S-( β -carboxyethyl)-L-cysteine, and S-( β carboxyisopropyl)-L- cysteine are distributed unregularly among Albizia species. In no case, N-acetyl-L-djenkolic acid, L-cysteine, L- α , β -diaminopropionic acid, and willardiine ( β -(uracil-1-yl)- α -aminopropionic acid) were detectable. Presumably, two Ninhydrin-positive compounds which are present in seeds of some Albizia species in trace amounts are identical with L- β -acetyl- α , β -diaminopropionic acid and the γ -glutamyl peptide of L-djenkolic acid. A thin-layer chromatographic survey of the 70 % EtOH extracts of different parts of an Albizia lophanta (W illd ) B enth plant and of seedlings of this species revealed characteristic distribution patterns of non-protein and protein amino acids. We suppose albizziine, L- β -acetyl- α , β -diaminopropionic acid, and, presumably, L-djenkolic acid as typical secondary plant products which might be related to the reproductive region of the plant. Nothing is known about the role of such compounds in the nitrogen economy of Mimosacean plants.