title: Chemical identity of a rotting animal-like odor emitted from the inflorescence of the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum).
abstract: The titan arum, Amorphophallus titanum, is a flowering plant with the largest inflorescence in the world. The flower emits a unique rotting animal-like odor that attracts insects for pollination. To determine the chemical identity of this characteristic odor, we performed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry analysis of volatiles derived from the inflorescence. The main odorant causing the smell during the flower-opening phase was identified as dimethyl trisulfide, a compound with a sulfury odor that has been found to be emitted from some vegetables, microorganisms, and cancerous wounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirasu
authors.forename: Kouki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kakishima
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomizawa
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsukaya
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manome
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Touhara
mesh_terms: D031056:Amorphophallus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000737:chemistry*; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; C054170:dimethyl trisulfide