Bias of the paleobotanical record as a consequence of variations in the chemical composition of higher vascular plant cuticles

Tegelaar, Erik; Kerp, Hans; Visscher, Henk; Schenck, P.A.; Leeuw, J.W. de

doi:10.1017/s0094837300010459

Cited by 128 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The actual chemical nature of the intermolecular linkages involved in the binding of pCA and FA to the leaf waxes are still unknown, though the fact that both compounds are only released by saponification suggests that either the carboxylic acid or the hydroxyl group is involved. Since it was shown that especially the former group is involved in linkages to carbohydrates (Carnachan and Harris 2000) and fatty alcohols (Mahmood et al 2003) this suggests that most likely pCA and FA are linked to the hydroxyl groups of cutin (the solvent insoluble biopolymer in plant cuticles (Tegelaar et al 1991))-like monomers (see also; Mo¨sle et al 1997;Mo¨sle et al 1998;van Bergen et al 2004). Other examples of esterified pCA can be found in flavonol glycosides such as present in the leaves of Planchonia grandis (Crublet et al 2003).…”

Section: Functions Of Pca and Fa In Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The occurrence of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid in fossil plant materials and their use as UV-proxy

et al. 2006

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The applicability of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid concentrations or ratios in (sub)fossil plant remnant as UV-B proxies relies on various aspects, which are discussed in this paper and will be illustrated with some experimental data. A newly developed THM-micropyrolysis -gas chromatography -mass spectrometry method was tested on various spores, pollen and other plant remains, which were analysed for the presence of the UV-absorbing compounds p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. This revealed that these supposed building-blocks of sporopollenin appear to be present in pollen of many plant species but also in moss spores. The development of this micropyrolysis method paved the way for the quantitative analysis of UVabsorbing compounds in case only a small amount of analyte is available, for example for fossil pollen and spores but also other small palynomorphs and plant fossils. The use of this technique will provide a better insight in the plant responses to UV-radiation, the chemistry of pollen and spores, their fossil counterparts and furthermore the means for a further development of a proxy for the reconstruction of past UV-B radiation.Abbreviations: pCA -p-coumaric acid; DHP -dehydrogenation polymer; FA -ferulic acid; Fame -fatty acid methyl ester; FTIR -Fourier transform infrared; GC/MS -gas chromatography mass spectrometry; LOD -limit of detection; NMR -nuclear magnetic resonance; py -pyrolysis; SIM -selective ion monitoring; THM -thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation; TIC -total ion current; TMAHtetramethyl ammonium hydroxide; UV -ultraviolet

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Section: Functions Of Pca and Fa In Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The occurrence of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid in fossil plant materials and their use as UV-proxy

et al. 2006

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“…Cutin and cutan behave dierently when subject to the biochemical degradation process that occur during diagenesis, with cutan being found to be the durable constituent in all fossilised plant cuticles studied (Tegelaar et al 1991). In contrast, cutin, the common biopolymer constituting the cuticular matrix of the cuticular membrane of higher plants, is much less stable due to the presence of hydrolyzable intermolecular linkages.…”

Section: Agave Americana Clivia Miniatamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has also been suggested (Nip et al 1986a, b) that cutan may be ubiquitous in plants since it has been reported to be a constituent in fossilised plant cuticles, terrestrial sediments and coals covering a large part of the geological past. Although the cuticles of some species appear to completely lack cutans, notably those of tomato fruits and Citrus and Erica leaves (Tegelaar et al 1991), cutan may be the principal biopolymer in some others, notably in Beta vulgaris, and the mixed cutin/cutan type of cuticular membrane may turn out to be very widespread. The two biopolymers may occur in any ratio (Tegelaar 1990), and dier in their relative abundance at dierent stages of cuticle development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization and biosynthesis of non-degradable polymers in plant cuticles

Villena

Domínguez

Stewart³

et al. 1999

Planta

108

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The structure and monomeric composition of the highly aliphatic and non-saponifiable fraction of cutans isolated from the leaf cuticles of Agave americana L. and Clivia miniata Reg. have been elucidated. Spectroscopic Fourier transform infrared and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance, calorimetric and X-ray diffraction studies, together with biopolymer analysis after exhaustive ozonolysis, showed that the cutan fraction consists of an amorphous three-dimensional network linked by ether bonds containing double bonds and free carboxylic acid functions. Data obtained from fatty acid sorption indicated that the new biopolymer investigated here has a highly hydrophobic character constituting an additional barrier biopolymer in those cuticles where it is present. Labelled [14C]linoleic acid was preferentially incorporated into the non-ester part of C. miniata leaf disks in comparison with the cutin fraction of the cuticular membrane. This indicates that the cis-pentadiene system of polyunsaturated fatty acids is involved in the formation of intramolecular linkages, mainly ether bonds, of the aliphatic biopolymer.

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“…As is the problem with sporopollenin (see above) the genesis of an aliphatic geopolymer replacing the cutin in the original cuticles has to be assumed (cf. Tegelaar et al 1991;Collinson et al 1998). In this particular case the most likely candidates to be transferred diagenetically into an aliphatic polymer are cutin (cf.…”

Section: Cutin and Cutanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomacromolecules of Algae and Plants and their Fossil Analogues

2006

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A review of our current understanding of resistant biomacromolecules derived from present and past algae and higher plants is presented. Insight in the nature of recent and fossil macromolecules is strongly hampered by the difficulties in obtaining the material in pure and unaltered form. For the extant material, avoiding artificial condensation and structural alteration as a result of chemical isolation and purification of biomacromolecules requires constant attention. To date, several types of sporopollenin seem to occur. One type is characterised by oxygenated aromatic building blocks, in particular p-coumaric acid and ferrulic acid. The other type is thought to consist predominantly of an aliphatic biopolymer. In this review it is concluded that extant sporopollenin consists of the aromatic type, whereas the aliphatic component of fossil sporopollenin is due to early-diagenetic oxidative polymerization of unsaturated lipids. The cuticles of most higher plants contain the aliphatic biopolyester cutin. Additionally, cuticles of drought-adapted, mostly CAM plants, seem to contain the non-hydrolysable aliphatic biopolymer cutan. Only a very few algae are able to biosynthesize resistant, (fossilisable) cell walls: some Chlorophyta, Eustigmatophyta and Prasinophyta produce the aliphatic biopolymer algaenan. Some Dinophyta are also capable of producing algaenan cell walls. Additionally, some taxa produce highly resistant cyst-walls with a high proportion of aromatic moieties. For the morphologically well-preserved fossil material, contamination by organic particles other than the target taxon is hard to eliminate and can contribute to either the aliphatic or aromatic signal. Furthermore, post-mortem migration of aliphatic moieties into, and their condensation onto the macromolecule might occur, e.g. by oxidative polymerization. These phenomena hamper the evaluation of the aliphatic signature of fossil plant material and may for example explain the preservation of initially cutin-based cuticles or non-algaenan containing algae. The extent to which migration and in situ formation of aromatic moieties plays a role in modifying resistant algal macromolecules, notably under elevated temperature and/or pressure conditions, still remains an open question.

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Bias of the paleobotanical record as a consequence of variations in the chemical composition of higher vascular plant cuticles

Cited by 128 publications

References 26 publications

The occurrence of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid in fossil plant materials and their use as UV-proxy

The occurrence of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid in fossil plant materials and their use as UV-proxy

Characterization and biosynthesis of non-degradable polymers in plant cuticles

Biomacromolecules of Algae and Plants and their Fossil Analogues

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