Cytokinin metabolism in Phaseolus vulgaris L. : Identification of endogenous cytokinins and metabolism of [8-(14)C]dihydrozeatin in stems of decapitated plants.

The major cytokinins in stems of decapitated, disbudded bean plants have been identified by enzymic degradation, Sephadex LH20 and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography, and by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as 6-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-trans-2-enylamino)-9-β-D-ribofuranosylpurine (zeatin riboside), 6-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutylamino)-9-β-D-ribofuranosylpurine (dihydrozeatin riboside), and the 5'-phosphates of these compounds (zeatin ribotide and dihydrozeatin ribotide). Minor cytokinins in this tissue were tentatively identified as dihydrozeatin-O-β-D-glucoside and zeatin ribotide-O-β-D-glucoside. [8-(14)C-]Dihydrozeatin appeared to be rapidly metabolized to dihydrozeatin ribotide when supplied to segments of stems from decapitated plants. These results are discussed in relation to the metabolism and distribution of cytokinins in the whole plant.