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Molecular Decay of Plant Biopolymers

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Biopolymers

Part of the book series: Topics in Geobiology ((TGBI,volume 38))

Abstract

Analysis of modern Metasequoia leaves revealed the presence of structural polyester cutin, guaiacyl lignin units and polysaccharides. Analysis of environmentally decayed Metasequoia leaves revealed that guaiacyl lignin units and cellulose were degraded more relative to vinyl phenol (the last being the primary pyrolysis product of cutin and plant cuticles) suggesting that cutin is likely more stable than lignin and cellulose during early diagenesis contrary to some previous studies. This is supported by electron microscopy of changes in the cellular structure and cuticle of the modern, decayed, and fossil Metasequoia leaves. Analysis of Metasequoia fossils from the Eocene of Republic (Washington State) showed a significant aliphatic component without detection of biopolymeric lignin and polysaccharides. Fossils from the Eocene of Axel Heiberg revealed the presence of lignin and an aliphatic polymer up to C29 with cellulose and fossils from the Miocene Clarkia deposit in Idaho of USA revealed lignin and an aliphatic polymer up to C27 without any polysaccharides. Modern Metasequoia needle was heated experimentally in confined conditions that generated a macromolecular composition with an aliphatic polymer up to C32 and additional phenolic compounds similar to those present in the fossils. Experimental heating of cutin is known to generate an aliphatic polymer with carbon chain length <C20 demonstrating that the n-alkyl component with carbon chain length >C20 in the heated Metasequoia needle is a product of incorporation of longer chain plant waxes indicated by the odd over even predominance of the >C27 n-alkanes. The resistant nature of cutin compared to lignin and polysaccharides explains the ubiquitous presence of an n-alkyl component (<C20) in fossil leaves even when polysaccharides are absent and lignin has decayed.

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  1. Department of Science and Technology Laboratory for Terrestrial Environments, Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, USA

    Neal S. Gupta

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Gupta, N.S. (2014). Molecular Decay of Plant Biopolymers. In: Biopolymers. Topics in Geobiology, vol 38. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7936-5_1

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