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Metabolism and Enzymology

Novel Occurrence of Uncommon Polyamines in Higher Plants ¹

Department of Chemistry, Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003

Diamines and polyamines are ubiquitous components of living cells, and apparently are involved in numerous cellular and physiological processes. Certain "uncommon" polyamines have limited distribution in nature and have been associated primarily with organisms adapted to extreme environments, although the precise function of these polyamines in such organisms is unknown. This article summarizes current knowledge regarding the occurrence in higher plants of the uncommon polyamines related to and including norspermidine and norspermine. A putative biosynthetic pathway to account for the occurrences of these uncommon polyamines in higher plants is presented, with a summary of the supporting evidence indicating the existence of the requisite enzymatic activities in alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.

³ Present address: University of Delhi, Delhi-110,007, India.

¹ Supported in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, CRSR 88-34186-3340. New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station journal article No. 1539.

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