@Article{IPB-845,
author = {Vogt, T.},
title = {{Unusual spermine-conjugated hydroxycinnamic acids on pollen: function and evolutionary advantage}},
year = {2018},
pages = {5311-5315},
journal = {J. Exp. Bot.},
doi = {10.1093/jxb/ery359},
volume = {69},
abstract = {Conjugates between polyamines and hydroxycinnamic acids are found on the pollen surface of all higher plants, both mono- and dicots. But we don’t know why they are there. Delporte et al. (2018) have now shown that in the tapetum of the Asteraceae (sunflower family) a new type of BAHD-acyltransferase is expressed, able to transfer coenzyme A-activated coumaric acid to all four primary and secondary amine groups of the polyamine spermine. In the case of chicory this sequential addition results in a fully substituted tetracoumaroyl–spermine conjugate and points to an evolutionary advantage of these functionally enigmatic compounds.}    
}