Molecular Transformation of Plant Biopolymers in High P-T Conditions - Biopolymers: A Molecular Paleontology Approach - page 98

Table 5.1 The presence or absence of aliphatic macromolecular components in matured plant tissues and model compounds

Castanea a Tomato Agave Model compounds

Fleshy
mesocarp Material Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf Cuticle Cuticle Cuticle Cuticle Lignin Cellulose

Treatment before
maturation

Untreated Untreated Extracted Extracted

saponifi ed

Extracted Untreated Untreated Extracted Extracted

saponifi ed

Untreated Untreated

Treatment after
maturation

Extracted b Extracted
saponifi ed

Extracted Extracted Extracted Extracted Extracted Extracted Extracted Extracted Extracted

Products LMW c + + + − + + + + + − −
HMW d + + − − − + + + + − −
Fatty acyl e + − + − + + + − − − −
Composition (before maturation) of Castanea leaf : polysaccharides, lignin, fatty acids, cutin; Agave cuticle: cutin, cutan, polysaccharides, phenols; Tomato
peel: cutin; Tomato mesocarp: polysaccharides, fatty acids, phenols
“+” Denotes presence and “ − ” absence of components
a Figure 5.1 shows the results for Castanea ; other leaves yielded similar results
b Samples were analysed after solvent extraction or thermal desorption: both extraction methods gave equivalent results
c LMW: Low molecular weight aliphatic compounds (<C 20 )
d HMW: High molecular weight aliphatic compounds (>C 20 )
e Fatty acyl: fatty acyl moieties