An Investigation of the Chemical Properties and Structure of the Pigment of the Fungus Clavulinopsis Laeticolor
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Authors
Waszczak, Barbara
Issue Date
1972
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Specimens of the fungus Clavulinopsis laeticolor, collected in
southern Michigan during the late summer and fall of 1971, were
divided into three groups. Specimens of one group were placed in
acetone, those of the second group in 95% ethanol, and those of the
third group were dried and added to the mycological collection of
Dr. Paul Olexia, Kalamazoo College.
The acetone and ethanol pigment extracts were each found to
contain a yellow constituent-with visible absorption maxima in
ethanol at 386, 406, and 431 nm. An elucidation of the chemical properties
of this pigment was attempted via thin-layer chromatography
with a number of solvent systems of varying polarity. The
extracts were co-chromatographed with samples of several carotenoids
thought possibly to resemble the unknown pigment. The behavior of
the compound on TLC, along with its tendency to partition hypophasically
between petroleum ether and aqueous methanol, demonstrated
the polar nature of the pigment. Furthermore, the water solubility
of saponified portions of the pigment indicated the presence of the
potassium salt of an acidic compound, assumed to be either a carboxylic
acid or a phenol. The three known carotenoid caboxylic acids
were eliminated on the basis of differing visible absorption spectra The class of flavonoids, specifically the aurones, is suggested as a
possibility for further investigation.
Description
iii, 22 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
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