Presence of Inulin-Type Fructo-Oligosaccharides and Shift from Raffinose Family Oligosaccharide to Fructan Metabolism in Leaves of Boxtree (Buxus sempervirens).

Fructans are known to occur in 15% of flowering plants and their accumulation is often associated with stress responses. Typically, particular fructan types occur within particular plant families. The family of the Buxaceae, harboring Pachysandra terminalis, an accumulator of graminan- and levan-type fructans, also harbors boxtree (Buxus sempervirens), a cold and drought tolerant species.

Unexpected presence of graminan- and levan-type fructans in the evergreen frost-hardy eudicot Pachysandra terminalis (Buxaceae): purification, cloning, and functional analysis of a 6-SST/6-SFT enzyme.

About 15% of flowering plants accumulate fructans. Inulin-type fructans with β(2,1) fructosyl linkages typically accumulate in the core eudicot families (e.g.