Zeapyranolactone - A novel strigolactone from maize

The structure of a new strigolactone present in the root exudate and root extract of maize hybrid cv NK Falkone plants was elucidated and characterized as zeapyranolactone: Methyl .(E)-34(4-methyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)oxy)-2-(4,4,5-trimethyl-2-oxo-2,3,4,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]pyran-7-yeacrylate. Unlike any other strigolactone published so far, it contains a 4,4-dimethyltetrahydropyran-2-one as A ring. The impact of the elucidation of this structure on the earlier postulated biosynthetic pathway of another maize strigolactone, zealactone, is discussed.