Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Acidic Indole Auxins in Nicotiana

Acidic indole auxins have been extracted from N. glauca, N. langsdorffii and their 2 tumor-prone 4n- and 2n-hybrids. After purification of the extracts and thin-layer chromatography, acidic indoles were subjected to esterification and gas chromatography. The esters of 4 indole acids were detected and determined: indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-carboxylic acid, indole-3-propionic acid and indole-3-butyric acid. The indolic nature of fractionated samples was confirmed by spectrophotofluorometry and the physiological significance of the indole esters proven in a biotest. A substantial increase in extractable indole-3-butyric acid in the tumor-prone hybrids suggests an additional pathway of auxin synthesis in these tissues.