title: Distribution of L-DOPA in the root of velvet bean plant (Mucuna pruriens L.) and gravity.
abstract: Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens L.) has been found that the degree of suppression on the lettuce root growth by velvet bean was less on the 3D-clinorotation. The number and growth of adventitious root in velvet bean differed among the clinostated and control group. L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) is known to be the major substance in the allelopathy of velvet bean plant, released from its root. Since L-DOPA is a precursor of melanin pigment, and is easily converted to melanin by oxidation, locality of L-DOPA production in the plant body can be seen through pigmentation. The amount of L-DOPA was analyzed by HPLC and LC-ESI/MS. The distribution of L-DOPA in the root was different among the ground control condition and pseudo-microgravity.
authors.affiliation: University of Tsukuba.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomita-Yokotani
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Teruko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D006112:Gravitation; D018545:Lactuca / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D031299:Mucuna / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development; D012399:Rotation; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones; D007980:Levodopa