Biochemical Systematics of the Genus Sophora

• Main Author: Izaddoost, Mohamed
• Other Authors: Harris, Ben G.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: North Texas State University 1973
• Subjects: molecular biology; Sophora.; Amino acids.; Sophora; amino acids
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500693/

Three unusual amino acids, y-amino-n-butyric acid, pipecolic acid, and 4-hydroxypipecolic acid, and an uncommon dipeptide, y-glutamyltyrosine, have been isolated and characterized from the seeds of members of the genus Sophora. Structural proof of these compounds was carried out by paper chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, column chromatography on amino acid analyzer, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and C, H, N analysis. The presence and absence of these compounds was used as a criterion for the classification of 23 species of the genus Sophora. A phylogenetic classification which seems to follow the morphological taxonomy of this genus was carried out on the basis of seeds that contained pipecolic acid, those which did not contain pipecolic acid, and plants which contained both pipecolic acid and 4-hydroxypipecolic acids. Another chemical classification was also introduced based on the presence and absence of y-amino-n-butyric acid and y-glutamyltyrosine.