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Mucilage

February 16, 2024

Not to be confused with mucigel.

Mucilage is a thick gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms. These microorganisms include protists which use it for their locomotion. The direction of their movement is always opposite to that of the secretion of mucilage.[1] It is a polar glycoprotein and an exopolysaccharide. Mucilage in plants plays a role in the storage of water and food, seed germination, and thickening membranes. Cacti (and other succulents) and flax seeds are especially rich sources of mucilage.[2]

A sundew with a leaf bent around a fly trapped by mucilage

Occurrence edit

Exopolysaccharides are the most stabilising factor for microaggregates and are widely distributed in soils. Therefore, exopolysaccharide-producing "soil algae" play a vital role in the ecology of the world's soils. The substance covers the outside of, for example, unicellular or filamentous green algae and cyanobacteria. Amongst the green algae especially, the group Volvocales are known to produce exopolysaccharides at a certain point in their life cycle. It occurs in almost all plants, but usually in small amounts. It is frequently associated with substances like tannins and alkaloids.[3]

Mucilage has a unique purpose in some carnivorous plants. The plant genera Drosera (sundews), Pinguicula, and others have leaves studded with mucilage-secreting glands, and use a "flypaper trap" to capture insects.[4]

Human uses edit

 
Glass container for mucilage, from the first half of the 20th century

Mucilage is edible. It is used in medicine as it relieves irritation of mucous membranes by forming a protective film. It is known to act as a soluble, or viscous, dietary fiber that thickens the fecal mass, an example being the consumption of fiber supplements containing psyllium seed husks.[5]

Traditionally, marshmallows were made from the extract of the mucilaginous root of the marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis). The inner bark of the slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), a North American tree species, has long been used as a demulcent and cough medicine, and is still produced commercially for that purpose.[6]

Mucilage mixed with water has been used as a glue, especially for bonding paper items such as labels, postage stamps, and envelope flaps.[7] Differing types and varying strengths of mucilage can also be used for other adhesive applications, including gluing labels to metal cans, wood to china, and leather to pasteboard.[8] During the fermentation of nattō soybeans, extracellular enzymes produced by the bacterium Bacillus natto react with soybean sugars to produce mucilage. The amount and viscosity of the mucilage are important nattō characteristics, contributing to nattō's unique taste and smell.

The mucilage of two kinds of insectivorous plants, sundew (Drosera)[9] and butterwort (Pinguicula),[10] is used for the traditional production of a variant of the yogurt-like Swedish dairy product called filmjölk.[11][12]

Ecological implications for plants edit

The presence of mucilage in seeds affects important ecological processes in some plant species, such as tolerance of water stress, competition via allelopathy, or facilitation of germination through attachment to soil particles.[13][14][15] Some authors have also suggested a role of seed mucilage in protecting DNA material from irradiation damage.[16] The amount of mucilage produced per seed has been shown to vary across the distribution range of a species, in relation with local environmental conditions of the populations.[17]

A variety of maize grows aerial roots that produce a sweet mucus. The Sierra Mixe is a tall variety that survives in poor soils without fertilizer in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the mucilage has been shown to support nitrogen fixation through bacteria that thrive in its high-sugar, low-oxygen environment.[18]

Plant sources edit

The following plant and algae species are known to contain far greater concentrations of mucilage than typical:

See also edit

  • Marine mucilage, also known as sea snot – Type of organic matter found in the sea

References edit

  1. ^ "Modes of Locomotion in Protists: 5 Modes". Biology Discussion. 6 September 2016. from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Mucilage cell, cactus". www.sbs.utexas.edu. from the original on 15 June 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  3. ^ Paul, Eldon A., ed. (2006). Soil Microbiology, Ecology and Biochemistry (3rd ed.). Academic Press. p. 33. ISBN 9780080475141. from the original on 24 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Carnivorous Plant Trapping Mechanisms". International Carnivorous Plant Society. from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  5. ^ Institute of Medicine (2001). Dietary Reference Intakes: Proposed Definition of Dietary Fiber. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-309-07564-0.
  6. ^ "Slippery Elm". University of Maryland Medical Center. from the original on 17 November 2015.
  7. ^ Spitzenberger, Ray (23 August 2007). "Glue, Paste or Mucilage: Know the Difference?". East Bernard Express. East Bernard, TX. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  8. ^ Dawidowsky, Ferdinand (1905). Glue, Gelatine, Animal Charcoal, Phosphorus, Cements, Pastes, and Mucilage. Henry Carey Baird & Co. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-113-00611-0.
  9. ^ "Drosera L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Filmjölk från Linnés tid" (PDF). Verumjournalen (in Swedish). 2002: 10. 2002. Retrieved 18 July 2007.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Östman, Elisabeth (1911). "Recept på filmjölk, filbunke och långmjölk". Iduns kokbok (in Swedish). Stockholm: Aktiebolaget Ljus, Isaac Marcus' Boktryckeriaktiebolag. p. 161. from the original on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2007.
  12. ^ (in Swedish). Järnriket Gästrikland, Länsmuseet Gävleborg. Archived from the original on 22 March 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  13. ^ Harper, J. L.; Benton, R. A. (1 January 1966). "The Behaviour of Seeds in Soil: II. The Germination of Seeds on the Surface of a Water Supplying Substrate". Journal of Ecology. 54 (1): 151–166. doi:10.2307/2257664. JSTOR 2257664.
  14. ^ Hasegawa, K.; Mizutani, J.; Kosemura, S.; Yamamura, S. (1 October 1992). "Isolation and identification of lepidimoide, a new allelopathic substance from mucilage of germinated cress seeds". Plant Physiology. 100 (2): 1059–1061. doi:10.1104/pp.100.2.1059. ISSN 0032-0889. PMC 1075667. PMID 16653018.
  15. ^ Lu, Juanjuan; Tan, Dunyan; Baskin, Jerry M.; Baskin, Carol C. (1 June 2010). "Fruit and seed heteromorphism in the cold desert annual ephemeral Diptychocarpus strictus (Brassicaceae) and possible adaptive significance". Annals of Botany. 105 (6): 999–1014. doi:10.1093/aob/mcq041. ISSN 0305-7364. PMC 2876001. PMID 20348559.
  16. ^ Yang, Xuejun; Zhang, Wenhao; Dong, Ming; Boubriak, Ivan; Huang, Zhenying (2 September 2011). "The Achene Mucilage Hydrated in Desert Dew Assists Seed Cells in Maintaining DNA Integrity: Adaptive Strategy of Desert Plant Artemisia sphaerocephala". PLOS ONE. 6 (9): e24346. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...624346Y. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0024346. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3166310. PMID 21912689.
  17. ^ Villellas, J.; García, M. B. (1 September 2013). "The role of the tolerance–fecundity trade-off in maintaining intraspecific seed trait variation in a widespread dimorphic herb" (PDF). Plant Biology. 15 (5): 899–909. doi:10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00684.x. hdl:10261/87756. ISSN 1438-8677. PMID 23126286.
  18. ^ Daley, Jason (10 August 2018). "The Corn of the Future Is Hundreds of Years Old and Makes Its Own Mucus". Smithsonian Magazine. ISSN 0037-7333.

External links edit

 
Look up mucilage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

February 16, 2024
mucilage, confused, with, mucigel, thick, gluey, substance, produced, nearly, plants, some, microorganisms, these, microorganisms, include, protists, which, their, locomotion, direction, their, movement, always, opposite, that, secretion, mucilage, polar, glyc. Not to be confused with mucigel Mucilage is a thick gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms These microorganisms include protists which use it for their locomotion The direction of their movement is always opposite to that of the secretion of mucilage 1 It is a polar glycoprotein and an exopolysaccharide Mucilage in plants plays a role in the storage of water and food seed germination and thickening membranes Cacti and other succulents and flax seeds are especially rich sources of mucilage 2 A sundew with a leaf bent around a fly trapped by mucilage Contents 1 Occurrence 2 Human uses 3 Ecological implications for plants 4 Plant sources 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksOccurrence editExopolysaccharides are the most stabilising factor for microaggregates and are widely distributed in soils Therefore exopolysaccharide producing soil algae play a vital role in the ecology of the world s soils The substance covers the outside of for example unicellular or filamentous green algae and cyanobacteria Amongst the green algae especially the group Volvocales are known to produce exopolysaccharides at a certain point in their life cycle It occurs in almost all plants but usually in small amounts It is frequently associated with substances like tannins and alkaloids 3 Mucilage has a unique purpose in some carnivorous plants The plant genera Drosera sundews Pinguicula and others have leaves studded with mucilage secreting glands and use a flypaper trap to capture insects 4 Human uses edit nbsp Glass container for mucilage from the first half of the 20th centuryMucilage is edible It is used in medicine as it relieves irritation of mucous membranes by forming a protective film It is known to act as a soluble or viscous dietary fiber that thickens the fecal mass an example being the consumption of fiber supplements containing psyllium seed husks 5 Traditionally marshmallows were made from the extract of the mucilaginous root of the marshmallow plant Althaea officinalis The inner bark of the slippery elm Ulmus rubra a North American tree species has long been used as a demulcent and cough medicine and is still produced commercially for that purpose 6 Mucilage mixed with water has been used as a glue especially for bonding paper items such as labels postage stamps and envelope flaps 7 Differing types and varying strengths of mucilage can also be used for other adhesive applications including gluing labels to metal cans wood to china and leather to pasteboard 8 During the fermentation of nattō soybeans extracellular enzymes produced by the bacterium Bacillus natto react with soybean sugars to produce mucilage The amount and viscosity of the mucilage are important nattō characteristics contributing to nattō s unique taste and smell The mucilage of two kinds of insectivorous plants sundew Drosera 9 and butterwort Pinguicula 10 is used for the traditional production of a variant of the yogurt like Swedish dairy product called filmjolk 11 12 Ecological implications for plants editThe presence of mucilage in seeds affects important ecological processes in some plant species such as tolerance of water stress competition via allelopathy or facilitation of germination through attachment to soil particles 13 14 15 Some authors have also suggested a role of seed mucilage in protecting DNA material from irradiation damage 16 The amount of mucilage produced per seed has been shown to vary across the distribution range of a species in relation with local environmental conditions of the populations 17 A variety of maize grows aerial roots that produce a sweet mucus The Sierra Mixe is a tall variety that survives in poor soils without fertilizer in Oaxaca Mexico and the mucilage has been shown to support nitrogen fixation through bacteria that thrive in its high sugar low oxygen environment 18 Plant sources editThe following plant and algae species are known to contain far greater concentrations of mucilage than typical Aloe vera Althaea Basella alba Malabar spinach Cactus Chondrus crispus Irish moss Corchorus jute plant Dioscorea polystachya nagaimo Chinese yam Drosera sundews Drosophyllum lusitanicum Fenugreek Flax seeds Kelp Liquorice root Mallow Mullein Okra Nopal Parthenium Pinguicula butterwort Plantago major greater plantain Psyllium seed husks Salvia hispanica seed chia Talinum triangulare waterleaf Taro Ulmus rubra bark slippery elm See also edit nbsp Plants portalMarine mucilage also known as sea snot Type of organic matter found in the seaReferences edit Modes of Locomotion in Protists 5 Modes Biology Discussion 6 September 2016 Archived from the original on 24 December 2017 Retrieved 26 October 2017 Mucilage cell cactus www sbs utexas edu Archived from the original on 15 June 2017 Retrieved 26 October 2017 Paul Eldon A ed 2006 Soil Microbiology Ecology and Biochemistry 3rd ed Academic Press p 33 ISBN 9780080475141 Archived from the original on 24 December 2017 Carnivorous Plant Trapping Mechanisms International Carnivorous Plant Society Archived from the original on 6 April 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 Institute of Medicine 2001 Dietary Reference Intakes Proposed Definition of Dietary Fiber Washington D C National Academy Press p 19 ISBN 978 0 309 07564 0 Slippery Elm University of Maryland Medical Center Archived from the original on 17 November 2015 Spitzenberger Ray 23 August 2007 Glue Paste or Mucilage Know the Difference East Bernard Express East Bernard TX Retrieved 29 March 2016 Dawidowsky Ferdinand 1905 Glue Gelatine Animal Charcoal Phosphorus Cements Pastes and Mucilage Henry Carey Baird amp Co p 1 ISBN 978 1 113 00611 0 Drosera L Plants of the World Online Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Retrieved 16 March 2023 Filmjolk fran Linnes tid PDF Verumjournalen in Swedish 2002 10 2002 Retrieved 18 July 2007 permanent dead link Ostman Elisabeth 1911 Recept pa filmjolk filbunke och langmjolk Iduns kokbok in Swedish Stockholm Aktiebolaget Ljus Isaac Marcus Boktryckeriaktiebolag p 161 Archived from the original on 29 October 2008 Retrieved 18 July 2007 Vad gjorde man med mjolken in Swedish Jarnriket Gastrikland Lansmuseet Gavleborg Archived from the original on 22 March 2007 Retrieved 5 August 2007 Harper J L Benton R A 1 January 1966 The Behaviour of Seeds in Soil II The Germination of Seeds on the Surface of a Water Supplying Substrate Journal of Ecology 54 1 151 166 doi 10 2307 2257664 JSTOR 2257664 Hasegawa K Mizutani J Kosemura S Yamamura S 1 October 1992 Isolation and identification of lepidimoide a new allelopathic substance from mucilage of germinated cress seeds Plant Physiology 100 2 1059 1061 doi 10 1104 pp 100 2 1059 ISSN 0032 0889 PMC 1075667 PMID 16653018 Lu Juanjuan Tan Dunyan Baskin Jerry M Baskin Carol C 1 June 2010 Fruit and seed heteromorphism in the cold desert annual ephemeral Diptychocarpus strictus Brassicaceae and possible adaptive significance Annals of Botany 105 6 999 1014 doi 10 1093 aob mcq041 ISSN 0305 7364 PMC 2876001 PMID 20348559 Yang Xuejun Zhang Wenhao Dong Ming Boubriak Ivan Huang Zhenying 2 September 2011 The Achene Mucilage Hydrated in Desert Dew Assists Seed Cells in Maintaining DNA Integrity Adaptive Strategy of Desert Plant Artemisia sphaerocephala PLOS ONE 6 9 e24346 Bibcode 2011PLoSO 624346Y doi 10 1371 journal pone 0024346 ISSN 1932 6203 PMC 3166310 PMID 21912689 Villellas J Garcia M B 1 September 2013 The role of the tolerance fecundity trade off in maintaining intraspecific seed trait variation in a widespread dimorphic herb PDF Plant Biology 15 5 899 909 doi 10 1111 j 1438 8677 2012 00684 x hdl 10261 87756 ISSN 1438 8677 PMID 23126286 Daley Jason 10 August 2018 The Corn of the Future Is Hundreds of Years Old and Makes Its Own Mucus Smithsonian Magazine ISSN 0037 7333 External links edit nbsp Look up mucilage in Wiktionary the free dictionary Mucilage Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth Edition 2007 Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Mucilage Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 18 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 954 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mucilage amp oldid 1191860493, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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