title: S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides and relative pungency measurements of photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic tissues of Allium porrum.
abstract: Three standard assays for pyruvate gave equivalent measurements of relative pungency for two leek cultivars ( 'Tadorna' and 'Ramona'). Background pyruvate levels varied depending on the assay used, ranging from 0.4 (lactate dehydrogenase) to 1.5 (high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) micromol g(-1) fresh weight (FW) on average. The relative pungencies of the two leek cultivars were also compared to total concentrations of the S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides (RCSOs). The average ratio of EPy to total RCSOs was 10.9, indicating that standard pungency assays underestimate the levels of RCSOs in the tissue. A detailed analysis of 'Tadorna' leaves showed that total RCSO concentrations decreased acropetally. Profiles were composed of (-/+)-methyl-, (-/+)-ethyl-, (+)-propyl-, and (+)-1-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (MCSO, ECSO, PCSO, and 1-PeCSO, respectively). (+)-PCSO was the most prominent in green (2.4 mg g (-1) FW), yellow (5.5 mg g (-1) FW), and white (3.8 mg g (-1) FW) tissues. The prop(en)yl-L-cysteine sulfoxide derivatives were dominant in tissues that had photosynthetic capacity. The (+)-MCSO levels were high in the bulb (3.6 mg g (-1) FW). Interestingly, detectable levels of (-/+)-ECSO were measured in the leaves ( approximately 0.5 mg g (-1) FW). RCSO profiles of the different tissue regions were similar, but more (+)-PCSO and (+)-1-PeCSO were detected in the bulb. In general, mature upper leaf tissues had lower levels of total RCSOs. Overall, mild extraction methods and a low-temperature HPLC protocol (preferably with long retention times) achieved adequate compound separation and resolution of the diastereomers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd., Guelph, Ontario, Canada. doran@glassallium.com
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Doran
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: Luke L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lairson
authors.forename: Mary Ruth
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Adrian L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Schwan
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grodzinski
mesh_terms: D000490:Allium / Q000737:chemistry*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D013454:Sulfoxides / Q000032:analysis*