Biosynthesis of the chromogen hermidin from Mercurialis annua L.

Cut seedlings of Mercurialis annua L. were supplied with solutions containing 5.4 mM [U-¹³C₆]glucose and 50 mM unlabelled glucose. The pyridinone type chromogen, hermidin, was isolated and analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. ¹³C NMR spectra revealed the presence of [4,5,6-¹³C₃]hermidin in significant amount. NMR analysis of amino acids obtained by hydrolysis of labelled biomass showed the presence of [U-¹³C₃]alanine, whereas aspartate was found to be virtually unlabelled. Photosynthetic pulse labelling of M. annua plants with ¹³CO₂ followed by a chase period in normal air afforded [4,5,6-¹³C₃]- and [2,3-¹³C₂]hermidin with significant abundance. [U-¹³C₃]Alanine and multiply ¹³C-labelled aspartate isotopologues were also found in significant abundance. The labelling patterns of hermidin obtained in the present study closely resemble those observed for the pyridine ring of nicotine under similar experimental conditions. This suggests that hermidin, like nicotine, is biosynthesized via the nicotinic acid pathway from dihydroxyacetone phosphate and aspartate. The data show that pulse/chase labelling of plants with ¹³CO₂ generates isotopologue patterns that are similar to those obtained with totally labelled carbohydrate as tracer, but with the added advantage that experiments can be conducted under strictly physiological conditions. This experimental concept appears ripe for application to a wide variety of problems in plant physiology.