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8413326 
Journal Article 
Potent production of capsaicinoids and capsinoids by Capsicum peppers 
Kobata, K; Sugawara, M; Mimura, M; Yazawa, S; Watanabe, T 
2013 
Yes 
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
ISSN: 0021-8561
EISSN: 1520-5118 
61 
46 
11127-11132 
English 
The fundamental structure of capsinoids is a fatty acid ester with vanillyl alcohol, whereas in capsaicinoids, a fatty acid amide is linked to vanillylamine. To clarify the relationship between their biosynthesis in Capsicum plants, we carried out an in vivo tracer experiment using stable isotopically labeled putative precursors. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure the uptake of isotopes into metabolites after injection of the labeled precursors into intact fruits of a pungent cultivar, Peru, and a non-pungent cultivar, CH-19 Sweet. Labeled vanillylamine was incorporated into capsaicinoids in both cultivars. While labeled vanillyl alcohol was incorporated into capsinoids in both cultivars, the accumulation of intact capsaicinoids in Peru was suppressed by over 60% after administration of vanillyl alcohol. In Peru, labeled vanillin was converted to both vanillylamine and, in 5-fold excess, vanillyl alcohol. Moreover, labeled vanillin was converted exclusively to vanillyl alcohol in CH-19 Sweet. These data are consistent with the incorporation of labeled vanillin into capsaicinoids and capsinoids in both cultivars. We conclude that pungent cultivars are highly potent producers of vanillyl alcohol that is incorporated into capsinoids and that biosynthesis of capsinoids is catalyzed by capsaicin synthase. © 2013 American Chemical Society. 
biosynthesis; capsaicin synthase; capsaicinoid; Capsicum plants; Capsinoid; in vivo tracer experiment; LC-MS/MS; putative aminotransferase; stable isotope; vanillin; vanillyl alcohol; vanillylamine