Nicotinamide metabolism in ferns: Formation of nicotinic acid glucoside

The metabolic fate of [carbonyl-14C]nicotinamide was investigated in 9 fern species, Psilotum nudum, Angiopteris evecta, Lygodium japonicum, Acrostichum aureum, Asplenium antiquum, Diplazium subsinuatum, Thelypteris acuminate, Blechnum orientale and Crytomium fortune. All fern species produce a large quantity of nicotinic acid glucoside from [14C]nicotinamide, but trigonelline formation is very low. Increases in the release of 14CO2 with incubation time was accompanied by decreases in [carboxyl-14C]nicotinic acid glucoside. There was slight stimulation of nicotinic acid glucoside formation by 250 mM NaCl in mature leaves of the mangrove fern, Acrostichum aureum, but it is unlikely that this compound acts as a compatible solute. Nicotinamide and nicotinic acid salvage for pyridine nucleotide synthesis was detected in all fern species, although this activity was always less than nicotinic acid glucoside synthesis. Predominant formation of nicotinic acid glucoside is characteristic of nicotinic acid metabolism in ferns. This reaction appears to act as a detoxication mechanism, removing excess nicotinic acid.