title: Nitrate promotes capsaicin accumulation in Capsicum chinense immobilized placentas.
abstract: In chili pepper's pods, placental tissue is responsible for the synthesis of capsaicinoids (CAPs), the compounds behind their typical hot flavor or pungency, which are synthesized from phenylalanine and branched amino acids. Placental tissue sections from Habanero peppers (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) were immobilized in a calcium alginate matrix and cultured in vitro, either continuously for 28 days or during two 14-day subculture periods. Immobilized placental tissue remained viable and metabolically active for up to 21 days, indicating its ability to interact with media components. CAPs contents abruptly decreased during the first 7 days in culture, probably due to structural damage to the placenta as revealed by scanning electron microcopy. CAPs levels remained low throughout the entire culture period, even though a slight recovery was noted in subcultured placentas. However, doubling the medium's nitrate content (from 40 to 80 mM) resulted in an important increment, reaching values similar to those of intact pod's placentas. These data suggest that isolated pepper placentas cultured in vitro remain metabolically active and are capable of metabolizing inorganic nitrogen sources, first into amino acids and, then, channeling them to CAP synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida, Km. 5 Carretera Mérida-Progreso, 97118 Mérida, YUC, Mexico ; Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jeanny G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Aldana-Iuit
authors.affiliation: Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida, Km. 5 Carretera Mérida-Progreso, 97118 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sauri-Duch
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors.forename: María de Lourdes
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Miranda-Ham
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors.forename: Lizbeth A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Castro-Concha
authors.affiliation: Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida, Km. 5 Carretera Mérida-Progreso, 97118 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Cuevas-Glory
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors.forename: Felipe A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Flota
mesh_terms: D002211:Capsaicin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002212:Capsicum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D035264:Flowers / Q000378:metabolism*; D005638:Fruit / Q000378:metabolism*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D002211:Capsaicin