Abstract
UNTIL recently the presence of steroidal oestrogens in plants has been a matter for debate1, and any physiological significance associated with them has been generally disregarded2,3. Although steroidal oestrogens have been found in extracts of a few species4, the identification of oestrone in Phaseolus was based on equivocal procedures5. Moreover, as with any compound present in low concentration, it is possible that at least some of the oestrogens identified in plant extracts are attributable to external contamination. This risk can be eliminated by demonstrating the incorporation of radioactive label from a known precursor into the compounds of interest. We report here the incorporation of radioactive isotopes from (3RS)-2-14C-mevalonic acid DBED (MVA), 4-14C-oestrone and potassium 6,7-3H-oestrone sulphate into oestradiol by Phaseolus vulgaris L., cultivar Canadian Wonder. This represents the first case known to us of successful labelling of an identified steroidal oestrogen from 14C-MVA in a higher plant. It seems therefore that this class of mammalian sex hormone is produced in plants as well as animals.
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YOUNG, I., KNIGHTS, B. & HILLMAN, J. Oestradiol and its biosynthesis in Phaseolus vulgaris L.. Nature 267, 429 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267429a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267429a0
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