Abnormal Catabolites of Unsaturated Fatty Acids by In Vitro Reaction of Crude Enzyme from Infected Higher Plants

The reaction of α-linolenic acid with crude enzyme (lipoxygenase) obtained from infected pumpkins led to the formation of 8Z, 11Z, 14Z-heptadecatrienal (noraldehyde) and its acid (noracid) in addition to 13S-hydroperoxy linolenic acid. Since the noraldehyde and its acid were also isolated from the crude enzyme reaction of other infected plants, their formation seems to be related with the pathogen-infection of higher plants.