The quantification of 1-(malonylamino)cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in plant tissues by quantitative mass spectrometry

Abstract

A method for the quantitation of I-(malonylamino)cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (MACC), a conjugated form of l-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), in plants is described. [2,2,3,3-2H4]MACC has been used as an internal standard for selected ion monitoring/isotope dilution quantitation of MACC in wheat seedlings and in tomato leaves. This method is compared with a widely-used two step indirect assay for MACC, which is based upon hydrolysis of MACC to ACC and conversion of ACC by hypochlorite reagent to ethylene which is subsequently quantified by gas chromatography.

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentration and ACC synthase expression in soybean roots, root tips, and soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines)-infected roots

“…ACC synthesis is considered to be the rate-limiting step in ethylene synthesis ( Yamagami et al , 2003 ); however, several factors can influence the conversion of ACC to ethylene, i.e. ACC conjugation ( Clarke et al , 1996 ), ACC deaminase ( McDonnell et al , 2009 ), and ACC oxidase activity ( Tang et al , 1994 ). Nevertheless, the higher concentration of ACC in the root tips correlated with the semi-quantitative real-time PCR results, indicating that the relative concentration of ACS transcripts for many ACS genes is highest in the first 12 mm of the root tips.…”