Phenolamides: Bridging polyamines to the phenolic metabolism

• Published in: Phytochemistry (Oxford) Vol. 71; no. 16; pp. 1808 - 1824
• Main Authors: Bassard, Jean-Etienne, Ullmann, Pascaline, Bernier, François, Werck-Reichhart, Danièle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adaptation; amides; Amides - chemistry; Amides - metabolism; amino acids; bioactive properties; Bioactivity; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Wall - metabolism; Chemical constitution; Defence; Flower development; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Light; literature reviews; Molecular Structure; Phenolamides; phenolic compounds; Phenols - chemistry; Phenylpropanoid metabolism; phenylpropanoids; Phenylpropionates - metabolism; phytotoxins; plant adaptation; Plant Development; Plant physiology and development; Plants - metabolism; Polyamines; Polyamines - chemistry; Polyamines - metabolism; resistance mechanisms; secondary metabolites; Flower development; Phenylpropanoid metabolism; Bioactivity; Phenolamides; Polyamines; Defence; Adaptation; Flower; Polyamine; Chemical structure; Metabolism; Plant origin; Development; Pharmacokinetics
• ISSN: 0031-9422; 1873-3700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2010.08.003

Phenolamides are bioactive compounds sharing properties of both polyamines and phenylpropanoids. They may also form branch pathways in the phenolic metabolism. Phenolamides constitute a diverse and quantitatively major group of secondary metabolites resulting from the conjugation of a phenolic moiety with polyamines or with deaminated aromatic aminoacids. This review summarizes their bioactivities and their reported roles in plant development, adaptation and defence compared to those of their polyamine precursors. The most conclusive recent developments point to their contribution to cell-wall reinforcement and to direct toxicity for predators and pathogens, either as built-in or inducible defence. Phenolamides were often considered as accumulated end-chain products. Recent data bring a light on their biosynthesis and suggests their possible contribution in the branching of the phenylpropanoid metabolism.