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Sterol composition in plants is specific to pollen, leaf, pollination and pollinator

Sterol composition in plants is specific to pollen, leaf, pollination and pollinator

Furse, Samuel, Martel, Carlos, Yusuf, Abdikarim, Shearman, Gemma, Koch, Hauke and Stevenson, Philip ORCID: 0000-0002-0736-3619 (2023) Sterol composition in plants is specific to pollen, leaf, pollination and pollinator. Phytochemistry:113800. ISSN 0031-9422 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113800)

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Abstract

Sterols have several roles in planta, including as membrane components. Sterols are also essential nutrients for insects.
Based on this, and the different functions of leaves and pollen, we tested the hypotheses that (a) the sterolome is different in leaves and pollen from the same plant, (b) pollens from wind- and insect pollinated plants comprise different sterols, and (c) sterol provision in pollen-rewarding angiosperms differs from nectar-rewarding species. A novel approach to sterolomics was developed, using LCMS to determine the sterol profile of leaf and pollen from a taxonomically diverse range of 36 plant species. Twenty-one sterols were identified unambiguously, with several more identified in trace amounts. C29 sterols dominated the sterolome in most plants. The sterol composition was significantly different in leaf and pollen and their main sterols evolved in different ways. The sterolome of pollen from animal- and wind-pollinated was also significantly different, but not between nectar- and pollen-rewarding species. Our results suggest that the sterol composition in different plant tissues is linked to their biological functions. Sterol composition in pollen might be driven by physical role rather than the nutrient needs of pollinating insects.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: sterolomics; phytosterol biosynthesis; nutrient provision; pollinators; taxonomy
Subjects: Q Science > QD Chemistry
Q Science > QK Botany
S Agriculture > SB Plant culture
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Engineering & Science
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Agriculture, Health & Environment Department
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Chemical Ecology Research Group
Last Modified: 01 Aug 2024 01:38
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/43657

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