Animal pigment bilirubin discovered in plants

Authors

Cary Pirone, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
J. Martin E. Quirke, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International UniversityFollow
Horacio A. Priestap, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
David W. Lee, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow

Date of this Version

3-4-2009

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The bile pigment bilirubin-IXα is the degradative product of heme, distributed among mammals and some other vertebrates. It can be recognized as the pigment responsible for the yellow color of jaundice and healing bruises. In this paper we present the first example of the isolation of bilirubin in plants. The compound was isolated from the brilliant orange-colored arils of Strelitzia nicolai, the white bird of paradise tree, and characterized by HPLC−ESMS, UV−visible, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, as well as comparison with an authentic standard. This discovery indicates that plant cyclic tetrapyrroles may undergo degradation by a previously unknown pathway. Preliminary analyses of related plants, including S. reginae, the bird of paradise, also revealed bilirubin in the arils and flowers, indicating that the occurrence of bilirubin is not limited to a single species or tissue type.

Comments

Post Print Version.

The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at http://doi.org/10.1021/ja809065g

Recommended Citation

Pirone, C., Quirke, J. M., Priestap, H. A., & Lee, D. W. (January 01, 2009). Animal pigment bilirubin discovered in plants. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131, 8.)