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Carotenoids in lichens from the Canary Islands
BiochemicalSystematicsand Ecology,Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 117-118,1988. Printed in Great Britain.
0305-1978/88$3.00+0.00 © 1988PergamonJournals Ltd.
Carotenoids in Lichens from the Canary Islands* B. CZECZUGA, B. CIFUENTESt and R A. REYNAUD~: Department of General Biology, Medical Academy, 15-230 Bialystok, Poland; tCatedra de Fisiologia Vegetal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain; ~Office de la Recherche Scientiflque et Technique Quatre-Mer, Laboretoire de Microbiologie, B.P. 1386-Dakar, Senegal
Key Word Index--Lichens; carotenoids; Canary Islands. Ab~ract--By means of column and thin-layer chromatography, the following carotenoids were found to be present in seven species of lichens from Canary Islands: torulene, lycoxanthin, J]-~',arotene,~-crytoxanthin, lutein, lutein epoxide, zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, canthaxanthin, phoenicoxanthin, astaxanthin, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, aurochrome, auroxanthin, mutatochrome, mutatoxanthin and luteoxanthin.
large amounts of mutatoxanthin [3]. But Stricta canariensis, in which auroxanthin constituted over 60% of all the carotenoids, is also yellow. Mutatoxanthin, auroxanthin and luteoxanthin all belong to epoxy carotenoids [4], of which the least oxidized is mutatoxanthin (5,8-epoxy-5,8dihydro-~,J]-carotene-3,3'-diol), whereas the most highly oxidized is auroxanthin (5,8,5',8'die poxy-5,8,5',8'-tetra hydro-J],~ca rotene-3,3'-diol), luteoxanthin (5,6,5',8'-diepoxy-5,6,5'8'-tetrahydro-j~,J]-carotene-3,3'-diol), lies on the path of the conversion of mutatoxanthin to auroxanthin. As was mentioned above, the basic caroteResults noid in the Nephrorna laevigatum thalli was luteIn the thalli of the seven lichen species studied, oxanthin. This is a rather rare carotenoid in 18 carotenoids were identified of which the most lichens, having been found to date only in such noteworthy were torulene, auroxanthin and lute- species as Parrnelia perlata, Parmotrema uruoxanthin. Torulene was only found in the Neph- guense and Roccella arboricola from Argentina roma laevigatum (Table 1). Auroxanthin occurred [5], but it is quite frequently found in the fruit of in the Lobaria pulmonaria and Stricta cananensis higher plants, particularly those of Capsicum, being 60% of all the carotenoids in the latter. Citrus, and Prunus genera and somewhat less Luteoxanthin constituted approximately 80% of frequently in others [6]. the carotenoid content of Nephroma laevigatum.
Introduction During our studies of carotenoids in lichens from various latitudes we found that environmental factors had a significant effect on the presence of the different carotenoids and on the content of these pigments [1, 2]. As is well known, the Canary Islands have not only a specific climate but also specific flora. It was with this in view that we decided to analyse the presence of carotenoids in the thalli of lichens from the Canary Islands.
Discussion
Experimental
Our previous investigations showed that the yellow colour of lichen thalli is often related to
Eight lichen species was collected (5~-15 g dry wt) from Canary Islands (Tenerife mountains, 28"5' S, 15=5' W, 1000 m alt.) were investigated (Table 1). Lobaria pulmonaria, Stricta canariensis and Nephroma ~ t u m were collected from the pine trees, and other species from the volcanic rock. The carotenoids were separated from the thalli of the lichens [7, 8] and their identification was achieved by CC and TLC [8]. Quantitative determination of the concentrations of carotenoid solutions were made from visible absorption spectra [9].
*Part 16 in the series 'Investigations on Carotenoids in Lichens'. For Part 15 see Czeczuga, B. and Ferraro de Corona, L. (1987) Biochem. Syst Ecol. 15, 519. (Received 14 July 1987) 117
118
B. CZECZUGA,B. CIFUENTESAND P. A. REYNAUD
TABLE 1. THE CAROTENOIDCOMPOSITIONOF CANARY ISLES LICHENSPECIES Carotenoid
Cladonia foliaceae
Cladonia nylanderi
Cladoniasubg. Cladinasp.
Lot)aria pulmonaria
Nephroma leevigatum
Stereocaulon Stricta vulcani canariensis
Content % Torulene Lycoxanthin I}-Carotene I}-Cryptoxanthin Lutein Lutein epoxide Zeaxanthin Antheraxanthin Canthaxanthin Phoenicoxanthin Astaxanthin Violaxanthin Neoxanthin Aurochrome Auroxanthin Mutatochrome Mutatoxanthin Luteoxanthin Total content (p,g-~ dry wt)
0.8 12.8 35.5 5.7 23.1
7.8 9.6 16.2 32.7 10.8
14.9
11.0
60.3 16.7 8.1
41.8 14.7
6.7
0.9 2.9
33.5 7.5
2.1 4.0
3.4
17.6 9.2 15.6
9.8 8.4
4.6 0.6 5.3 5.8
2.5 2.5 5.9
16.2
10.0 Co4.0
18.0 6.6 22.9 4.1
3.9
4.6
References 1. Czeczuga, B. (1981) Nova Hedwigia 35, 371. 2. Czeczuga, B. and Alstrup, V. (1987) Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 15, 297. 3. Czeczuga, B. (1983) Biochem. SysL Ecol. 11, 329. 4. Isler, I. (ed.) (1971) Carotenoids. Birkhauser, Basel. 5. Czeczuga, B. and Ferraro de Corona, L. (1987) Biochem.
9.9
1.4 79.7
4.6
246.3
5.4
123.7
SysL Ecol. 15, 519. 6. Goodwin, 1, W. (1980) The Biochemistry of the Carotenoids Vol. 1. Chapman & Hall, London. 7. Czeczuga, B. and Czerpak, R. (1968) Eur. J. Biochem. 5, 429. 8. Czeczuga, B. (1979) Nova Hed~'gia 31, 337. 9. Davies, B. H. (1976) Chemisb3, and Biochemistry of Plant Pigments (Goodwin, 1", W. ed.). Academic Press, London.
0305-1978/88$3.00+0.00 © 1988PergamonJournals Ltd.
Carotenoids in Lichens from the Canary Islands* B. CZECZUGA, B. CIFUENTESt and R A. REYNAUD~: Department of General Biology, Medical Academy, 15-230 Bialystok, Poland; tCatedra de Fisiologia Vegetal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain; ~Office de la Recherche Scientiflque et Technique Quatre-Mer, Laboretoire de Microbiologie, B.P. 1386-Dakar, Senegal
Key Word Index--Lichens; carotenoids; Canary Islands. Ab~ract--By means of column and thin-layer chromatography, the following carotenoids were found to be present in seven species of lichens from Canary Islands: torulene, lycoxanthin, J]-~',arotene,~-crytoxanthin, lutein, lutein epoxide, zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, canthaxanthin, phoenicoxanthin, astaxanthin, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, aurochrome, auroxanthin, mutatochrome, mutatoxanthin and luteoxanthin.
large amounts of mutatoxanthin [3]. But Stricta canariensis, in which auroxanthin constituted over 60% of all the carotenoids, is also yellow. Mutatoxanthin, auroxanthin and luteoxanthin all belong to epoxy carotenoids [4], of which the least oxidized is mutatoxanthin (5,8-epoxy-5,8dihydro-~,J]-carotene-3,3'-diol), whereas the most highly oxidized is auroxanthin (5,8,5',8'die poxy-5,8,5',8'-tetra hydro-J],~ca rotene-3,3'-diol), luteoxanthin (5,6,5',8'-diepoxy-5,6,5'8'-tetrahydro-j~,J]-carotene-3,3'-diol), lies on the path of the conversion of mutatoxanthin to auroxanthin. As was mentioned above, the basic caroteResults noid in the Nephrorna laevigatum thalli was luteIn the thalli of the seven lichen species studied, oxanthin. This is a rather rare carotenoid in 18 carotenoids were identified of which the most lichens, having been found to date only in such noteworthy were torulene, auroxanthin and lute- species as Parrnelia perlata, Parmotrema uruoxanthin. Torulene was only found in the Neph- guense and Roccella arboricola from Argentina roma laevigatum (Table 1). Auroxanthin occurred [5], but it is quite frequently found in the fruit of in the Lobaria pulmonaria and Stricta cananensis higher plants, particularly those of Capsicum, being 60% of all the carotenoids in the latter. Citrus, and Prunus genera and somewhat less Luteoxanthin constituted approximately 80% of frequently in others [6]. the carotenoid content of Nephroma laevigatum.
Introduction During our studies of carotenoids in lichens from various latitudes we found that environmental factors had a significant effect on the presence of the different carotenoids and on the content of these pigments [1, 2]. As is well known, the Canary Islands have not only a specific climate but also specific flora. It was with this in view that we decided to analyse the presence of carotenoids in the thalli of lichens from the Canary Islands.
Discussion
Experimental
Our previous investigations showed that the yellow colour of lichen thalli is often related to
Eight lichen species was collected (5~-15 g dry wt) from Canary Islands (Tenerife mountains, 28"5' S, 15=5' W, 1000 m alt.) were investigated (Table 1). Lobaria pulmonaria, Stricta canariensis and Nephroma ~ t u m were collected from the pine trees, and other species from the volcanic rock. The carotenoids were separated from the thalli of the lichens [7, 8] and their identification was achieved by CC and TLC [8]. Quantitative determination of the concentrations of carotenoid solutions were made from visible absorption spectra [9].
*Part 16 in the series 'Investigations on Carotenoids in Lichens'. For Part 15 see Czeczuga, B. and Ferraro de Corona, L. (1987) Biochem. Syst Ecol. 15, 519. (Received 14 July 1987) 117
118
B. CZECZUGA,B. CIFUENTESAND P. A. REYNAUD
TABLE 1. THE CAROTENOIDCOMPOSITIONOF CANARY ISLES LICHENSPECIES Carotenoid
Cladonia foliaceae
Cladonia nylanderi
Cladoniasubg. Cladinasp.
Lot)aria pulmonaria
Nephroma leevigatum
Stereocaulon Stricta vulcani canariensis
Content % Torulene Lycoxanthin I}-Carotene I}-Cryptoxanthin Lutein Lutein epoxide Zeaxanthin Antheraxanthin Canthaxanthin Phoenicoxanthin Astaxanthin Violaxanthin Neoxanthin Aurochrome Auroxanthin Mutatochrome Mutatoxanthin Luteoxanthin Total content (p,g-~ dry wt)
0.8 12.8 35.5 5.7 23.1
7.8 9.6 16.2 32.7 10.8
14.9
11.0
60.3 16.7 8.1
41.8 14.7
6.7
0.9 2.9
33.5 7.5
2.1 4.0
3.4
17.6 9.2 15.6
9.8 8.4
4.6 0.6 5.3 5.8
2.5 2.5 5.9
16.2
10.0 Co4.0
18.0 6.6 22.9 4.1
3.9
4.6
References 1. Czeczuga, B. (1981) Nova Hedwigia 35, 371. 2. Czeczuga, B. and Alstrup, V. (1987) Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 15, 297. 3. Czeczuga, B. (1983) Biochem. SysL Ecol. 11, 329. 4. Isler, I. (ed.) (1971) Carotenoids. Birkhauser, Basel. 5. Czeczuga, B. and Ferraro de Corona, L. (1987) Biochem.
9.9
1.4 79.7
4.6
246.3
5.4
123.7
SysL Ecol. 15, 519. 6. Goodwin, 1, W. (1980) The Biochemistry of the Carotenoids Vol. 1. Chapman & Hall, London. 7. Czeczuga, B. and Czerpak, R. (1968) Eur. J. Biochem. 5, 429. 8. Czeczuga, B. (1979) Nova Hed~'gia 31, 337. 9. Davies, B. H. (1976) Chemisb3, and Biochemistry of Plant Pigments (Goodwin, 1", W. ed.). Academic Press, London.