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Abstract
The glucosinolate content of various organs of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana
(L.) Heynh., Columbia (Col-0) ecotype, was analyzed at different stages during its
life cycle. Significant differences were noted among organs in both glucosinolate
concentration and composition. Dormant and germinating seeds had the highest concentration
(2.5-3.3% by dry weight), followed by inflorescences, siliques (fruits), leaves and
roots. While aliphatic glucosinolates predominated in most organs, indole glucosinolates
made up nearly half of the total composition in roots and late-stage rosette leaves.
Seeds had a very distinctive glucosinolate composition. They possessed much higher
concentrations of several types of aliphatic glucosinolates than other organs, including
methylthioalkyl and, hydroxyalkyl glucosinolates and compounds with benzoate esters
than other organs. From a developmental perspective, older leaves had lower glucosinolate
concentrations than younger leaves, but this was not due to decreasing concentrations
in individual leaves with age (glucosinolate concentration was stable during leaf
expansion). Rather, leaves initiated earlier in development simply had much lower
rates of glucosinolate accumulation per dry weight gain throughout their lifetimes.
During seed germination and leaf senescence, there were significant declines in glucosinolate
concentration. The physiological and ecological significance of these findings is
briefly discussed.