Location and biosynthesis of monoterpenyl fatty acyl esters in rose petals

Abstract

The upper epidermal layer of cells and the epicuticular wax surface of Lady Seton rose petals are sites of biosynthesis and accumulation, respectively, of a family of terpenyl fatty acyl esters. These esters are based mainly on the acyclic monoterpene alcohol geraniol coupled primarily to fatty acids of chain lengths 16–20 and in mass terms represent from 14% to 64% of the total monoterpenes present in the petals. The lipophilic nature of these non-volatile esters of the monoterpene alcohols contrasts with that of the lipophilic volatile parent alcohols themselves and with the hydrophilic, non-volatile, glucoside derivative of the other principal petal fragrant compounds, the phenylpropanoids, β-phenyl ethanol and benzyl alcohol. These latter compounds are also synthesised and are resident in the petal. Biosynthetic studies confirmed that the petal upper epidermal cell layer has the capacity to incorporate mevalonic acid into the monoterpene component of the fatty acyl ester. The biosynthesis of the monoterpene component of the fatty acyl ester occurs via the mevalonic acid pathway in Lady Seton as well as in the hybrid tea rose Fragrant Cloud. In the latter flower the biosynthesis of geraniol was biosynthetically trans as was the formation of nerol and citronellol. Both geraniol and nerol were shown to be precursors of citronellol via an NADPH dependent reductase reaction. Oleic acid is assimilated into the acyl moiety of the terpenyl ester in Lady Seton isolated petal discs. It is probable that the lipophilic non-volatile terpenyl fatty acyl esters represent a stable storage form of the corresponding alcohols from their residency within the epicuticular wax layer. These acyl esters may realise, on hydrolysis, additional aroma notes from the living flower and potentially commercially significant quantities of the fragrant terpenols during oil of rose essence production.