Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
Volume 147 Issue 4 Page 387 - April 2005
MIRIAM ROTHSCHILD, GUNNAR BERGSTRÖM, STEN-ÅKE WÄNGBERG (2005)
Cannabis sativa: volatile compounds from pollen and entire male and female plants of two variants, Northern Lights and Hawaian Indica
Abstract
Sixty-eight compounds were identified by coupled gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the chemosphere of Cannabis sativa L. pollen and entire male and female plants of two cultivated varieties, Northern Lights and Hawaian Indica. Twenty-one and 28 substances, respectively, were present in pollen of the two forms. To conserve the natural composition of volatiles a delicate headspace method was employed. The two varieties represent different chemotypes which distinguish themselves, in the main quantitatively, in the setup of volatiles from pollen and entire male and female plants. Twenty compounds were monoterpenes, including the five major components: ?-myrcene (E)-?-ocimene, terpinolene, ?-pinene and limonene; 25 were sesquiterpenes, and the other 23 were of mixed biogenetic origin, including 3-methyl-1-butanol and benzylalcohol which occurred only in pollen; two pyrazines occurred only in Northern Lights females. Besides being of interest in natural products chemistry, the results should have relevance for plant systematics and for the pharmaceutical and technical applications of Cannabis. We demonstrate that the pollen has a distinct chemical character in possessing two exclusive volatiles, while lacking seven compounds occurring in males and females of both variants.
Title: Polyketide synthases in Cannabis sativa L.
Author: Flores Sanchez, Isvett Josefina
Publisher: Pharmacognosy Department,Section of Metabolomics, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Science, Leiden University
Issue Date: 2008-10-29
Keywords: Cannabinoids Cannabis sativa Cell suspension cultures
Flavonoids H-NMR spectroscopy Metabolomics Olivetol
Polyketide synthases RT-PCR THCA synthase gene
Abstract: Cannabis sativa L. plants produce a diverse array of secondary metabolites, which have been grouped in cannabinoids, flavonoids, stilbenoids, terpenoids, alkaloids and lignans; the cannabinoids are the best known group of natural products from this plant. The pharmacological aspects of this secondary metabolite group have been extensively studied and the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway has been partially elucidated. Although, it is known that the geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and the olivetolic acid are initial precursors in this route the biosynthesis of the olivetolic acid has not been found yet. It has been suggested that the olivetolic acid biosynthesis could be initiated by a polyketide synthase (PKS). This thesis was focused on the characterization of PKSs in cannabis plants.
More than 480 compounds have been identified from C. sativa but only 247 are considered as secondary metabolites. These latter are grouped into cannabinoids, flavonoids, stilbenoids, terpenoids, alkaloids and lignans. However, what do we know about their biosynthesis and role in the plant? Chapter 1 summarizes the natural compounds in cannabis from a biosynthetic view. It seems that enzymes belonging to the polyketide synthase group could be involved in the biosynthesis of the initial precursors from the cannabinoid, flavonoid and stilbenoid biosynthetic pathways.
The Polyketide Synthases (PKSs) are condensing enzymes which form a myriad of polyketide compounds. In plants several PKSs have been identified and studied. Aspects such as specificity, reaction mechanisms, structure, as well as evolution are reviewed in Chapter 2.
In Chapter 3 polyketide synthase (PKS) enzymatic activities were analyzed in crude protein extracts from cannabis plant tissues. Differences in activities of chalcone synthase (CHS), stilbene synthase (STS) and olivetol-forming PKS were observed during the development and growth of glandular trichomes on the female flowers. Although, cannabinoid biosynthesis and accumulation take place in glandular trichomes no activity for an olivetolic acid-forming PKS was detected in this tissue. Content analyses of cannabinoids and flavonoids from different tissues revealed differences in their distribution, suggesting a diverse regulatory control on the biosynthetic fluxes of their biosynthetic pathways in the plant.
Chapter 4 reports in silicio expression analysis of a PKS gene isolated from glandular trichomes. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 51-72% identity to other CHS/STS type sequences of the PKS family. Further phylogenetic analysis revealed that this PKS (PKSG2) grouped with other non-chalcone and stilbene-producing PKSs. Homology modeling analyses of this cannabis PKS predicts a 3D overall fold similar to alfalfa CHS2 with small steric differences on the residues that shape the active site of the cannabis PKSG2.
Cannabis sativa cell culture induction has been reported for several purposes. However, cannabinoids have not been detected in cell cultures so far. Although, elicitation has been employed in the cell cultures for inducing and/or improving secondary metabolites there are no reports concerning elicitation effect on secondary metabolite production in C. sativa cell cultures. In Chapter 5 the effect of elicitation on secondary metabolism of the plant cell cultures is reported. Metabolic profiles analyzed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy and principal component analyses (PCA) showed variations in some of the metabolite pools. However, no cannabinoids were found in both control and elicited cannabis cell cultures. THCA synthase gene expression was monitored during a time course. Results suggest that other components in the signaling pathway can be controlling the cannabinoid pathway.
thanks for some freebies, i got skunk #1 x haze germinating now. they sound awsome. thanks. your breeding info is very helpfull.I suggest we start making a single location scientific reference bibliography with abstracts and full text or links to the articles or books as well as the info to be able to find it in a library. This can be done for Breeding, Pollen, Sex, Genes, Cannabinoids, Pests, Molecular Biology, Synthases, Non-Plant references, etc. etc. I guess first we need a list of categories to put the different articles and books in, some articles and books will need to be in more then one category. I guess we need for people to send in categories as well as articles or references. We can also make a non-science popular article section for articles and books that would help people. Some of the FAQ's or Stickys may need to be added to the references.
So,
ANY IDEAS FOR CATEGORIES? AS WELL AS SUBCATEGORIES?
ANY IDEAS FOR ARTICLES SCIENTIFIC OR POPULAR?
BOOKS THAT ARE NEEDED OR HELPFUL.
IF YOU SEND IN A REFERENCE TRY AND INCLUDE THE ABSTRACT, FULL REFERENCE INFO TO ASSIST FINDING IN A LIBARY, A LINK TO THE FULL TEXT, FULL TEXT. OR FOR BOOKS A REVIEW AND/OR TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Maybe a category for JUNK INFO?
A rating system 1-10 leafs for usefullness and quality of info.
JLP, SUZI, or I will move and organize the articles into a bibliographic reference that is easy to use for all. And stick them in a new post in the STRAINS & HYBRIDS, OR THE BREEDERS LAB, or where ever they should be. Some articles may be in more then one place, but ALL ARTICLES will be in one MASTER location to make it easier to find by everyone.
Martin, L., D.M. Smith, andC.G. Farmilo. 1961. Essential oil from fresh
Cannabis Sativa and its use in identification. Nature 191:774-6.
Turner CE, ElSohly MA, Boeren EG. Constituents of Cannabis sativa L. ZVII.
A review of the natural constituents. J Nat Prod. 1980; 43:169-304.
Mediavilla, V., and S. Steinemann. 1997. Essential oil of Cannabis sativa L. strains. J Internat Hemp Assoc 4 (2):82-4.
Meier, C., Mediavilla, V. 1998. Factors influencing the yield and the quality of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) essential oil. J Internat Hemp Assoc 5 (1):16-20.
ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was to assess the factors influencing the yield and the quality of hemp essential oil. Several strains were used to carry out field and greenhouse experiments, and as specimens for scent tests and chemical analysis of the distilled oils.
Yields of oil were highest at seeding rates of 5 kg/ha and when about a 50% of the crop had reached maturity. Pollination led to significantly lower yields, but is not easy to prevent in the field. Chemical composition showed almost no relationship to harvest dates or to scores on the scent tests. The best scent quality was always obtained from plants harvested one to three weeks before seed maturity (75% of seed matured). The interval during which both yield and quality were high was rather short and had to be assessed for each strain. The influence of other factors such as weather and harvest technique were also evaluated.
http://www.internationalhempassociation.org/jiha/jiha5107.html
Any comments welcome.
-SamS
Genetic Variation in Hemp and Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) According to Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms
Journal of Forensic Sciences 51 (2), 371–375.
Attached.Forensic Sci Int. 2006 Jun 2;159(2-3):132-40. Epub 2005 Sep 6.
DNA polymorphisms in the tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) synthase gene in "drug-type" and "fiber-type" Cannabis sativa L.
Novel male-specific molecular markers (MADC5, MADC6) in hemp
Euphytica Volume 127, Number 2 / September, 2002 209-218
Nándor Bucherna, Erzsébet Kiss, Hajnalka Homoki, Zsuzsanna Finta-Korpelová, Iván Bócsa, István Nagy and László E. Heszky
The sexual differentiation of Cannabis sativa L.: A morphological and molecular study
Authors: Moliterni V.; Cattivelli Luigi; Ranalli P.; Mandolino Giuseppe
Source: Euphytica, Volume 140, Numbers 1-2, January 2004, pp. 95-106(12)
The inheritance of chemical phenotype in Cannabis sativa L. (II): Cannabigerol predominant plants
Authors: Meijer, E.; Hammond, K.
Source: Euphytica, Volume 145, Numbers 1-2, September 2005, pp. 189-198(10)
Cannabis - from cultivar to chemovar
A. Hazekamp and J. T. Fischedick
Drug Test. Analysis 2012, 4, 660–667
I don't know what to say about the UVB paper MARIJUANA OPTICS. It has been around for a few years now and I first saw it 5 years ago. I will let others comment before I do. It can be posted if everyone wants it.
-SamS