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Planta Med 1997; 63(2): 150-153
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957633
Papers
Biochemistry, Physiology, in vitro cultures
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

In Vitro Formation of Crocetin Glucosyl Esters by Crocus sativus Callus Extract

Christiane Dufresne, François Cormier, Sonia Dorion
  • Food Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada J2S 8E3
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Publication History

1996

1996

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

Callus extracts of Crocus sativus exhibited the ability to transform all-trans-crocetin into its related glycosides between pH 7.0 and 7.6 in the presence of uridine-diphospho-glucose. The reactions involved the step-wise addition of a glucose moiety to a free car boxyl function and the 1→6 addition of a glucose moiety to a glucosyl ester function. The kinetics of synthesis for each glycoside seemed to indicate that two distinct glucosyl transferases were implicated in the synthesis of crocin, all-trans-crocetin di-(β-D-gentiobiosyl) ester.

key words

Carotenoids - crocetin glycosides - glucosyl transferase - Crocus sativus L. - saffron - Iridaceae