A trail pheromone mediates the mutualism between ants and aphids

Xu, Tian; Xu, Meng; Lu, Yongyue; Zhang, Wenqian; Sun, Jianghua; Zeng, Rensen; Turlings, Ted C. J.; Chen, Li

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.032

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…[ 72 ]. Although the α- and β-forms of farnesene are well-known pheromones [ 73 , 74 ], we did not find any reports on the biological activity of these compounds in human cells.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 70%

Neutrophil Immunomodulatory Activity of Farnesene, a Component of Artemisia dracunculus Essential Oils

Schepetkin

Özek

et al. 2022

Pharmaceuticals

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Despite their reported therapeutic properties, not much is known about the immunomodulatory activity of essential oils present in Artemisia species. We isolated essential oils from the flowers and leaves of five Artemisia species: A. tridentata, A. ludoviciana, A. dracunculus, A. frigida, and A. cana. The chemical composition of the Artemisia essential oil samples had similarities and differences as compared to those previously reported in the literature. The main components of essential oils obtained from A. tridentata, A. ludoviciana, A. frigida, and A. cana were camphor (23.0–51.3%), 1,8-cineole (5.7–30.0%), camphene (1.6–7.7%), borneol (2.3–14.6%), artemisiole (1.2–7.5%), terpinen-4-ol (2.0–6.9%), α-pinene (0.8–3.9%), and santolinatriene (0.7–3.5%). Essential oils from A. dracunculus were enriched in methyl chavicol (38.8–42.9%), methyl eugenol (26.1–26.4%), terpinolene (5.5–8.8%), (E/Z)-β-ocimene (7.3–16.0%), β-phellandrene (1.3–2.2%), p-cymen-8-ol (0.9–2.3%), and xanthoxylin (1.2–2.2%). A comparison across species also demonstrated that some compounds were present in only one Artemisia species. Although Artemisia essential oils were weak activators of human neutrophils, they were relatively more potent in inhibiting subsequent neutrophil Ca2+ mobilization with N-formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) agonist fMLF- and FPR2 agonist WKYMVM, with the most potent being essential oils from A. dracunculus. Further analysis of unique compounds found in A. dracunculus showed that farnesene, a compound with a similar hydrocarbon structure as lipoxin A4, inhibited Ca2+ influx induced in human neutrophils by fMLF (IC50 = 1.2 μM), WKYMVM (IC50 = 1.4 μM), or interleukin 8 (IC50 = 2.6 μM). Pretreatment with A. dracunculus essential oils and farnesene also inhibited human neutrophil chemotaxis induced by fMLF, suggesting these treatments down-regulated human neutrophil responses to inflammatory chemoattractants. Thus, our studies have identified farnesene as a potential anti-inflammatory modulator of human neutrophils.

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“…[ 72 ]. Although the α- and β-forms of farnesene are well-known pheromones [ 73 , 74 ], we did not find any reports on the biological activity of these compounds in human cells.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 70%

Neutrophil Immunomodulatory Activity of Farnesene, a Component of Artemisia dracunculus Essential Oils

Schepetkin

Özek

et al. 2022

Pharmaceuticals

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“…Additionally, tending ants might provide D. aberiae with other beneficial services such as transport to new feeding sites, 35 removal of excess honeydew, 36 and sanitization via removal of fungal contaminated‐individuals 37 . Furthermore, honeydew‐collecting ants can stimulate feeding and reproduction of some honeydew‐producing hemipteran species and reduce developmental times 38,39 . However, among the services that ants can provide to their trophobiont partners, the defence against natural enemies is the most important from a pest control perspective.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…37 Furthermore, honeydew-collecting ants can stimulate feeding and reproduction of some honeydew-producing hemipteran species and reduce developmental times. 38,39 However, among the services that ants can provide to their trophobiont partners, the defence against natural enemies is the most important from a pest control perspective. Tending ants often attack mealybug natural enemies, decreasing their efficacy as biological control agents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exclusion of Mediterranean ant species enhances biological control of the invasive mealybug Delottococcus aberiae in citrus

Plata

Gómez‐Martínez

Beitia

et al. 2023

Pest Management Science

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BACKGROUND: Delottococcus aberiae is an invasive mealybug that produces severe damage in Spanish citrus. This mealybug has established a mutualistic relationship with native Mediterranean ant species that may limit biological control of this pest. Herein, we evaluated the effect of tending ants on the biological control of D. aberiae. To do this, we compared: (i) the density of D. aberiae, (ii) the density of its natural enemies, and (iii) the damage produced by the mealybug in trees with (control) and without ants (ants excluded with sticky barriers) in two citrus orchards across two consecutive years. RESULTS: Lasius grandis was the most abundant ant species in both orchards and represented more than 95% of the ants tending D. aberiae in control trees. Spiders and lacewings were the most abundant predators observed in mealybug colonies, and the exclusion of mutualistic ants increased their abundance. Moreover, in control trees, ant activity throughout the year was negatively correlated with the relative abundance of predators (number of predators per mealybug). No parasitoids were recovered during field experiments. Ant exclusion reduced the density of D. aberiae and the ratio of damaged fruit at harvest across years and orchards.CONCLUSIONS: This work corroborates the previous finding that D. aberiae benefits from its mutualistic relationship with L. grandis, probably because the presence of ants reduced the abundance of generalist predators. This mutualism can be disrupted using physical barriers on on the trunk. Further research should assess other methods of ant control that are more economic and feasible for citrus producers.

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“…Bioassay sample preparation. The trail pheromone fraction of hexane extract of 1 g of ant workers was prepared following the method in Xu et al (2021), which was then stored in a freezer at −20 °C for further bioassays.…”

Section: Identification Of Trail Pheromone Components In Ant Workersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further laboratory bioassays confirmed multiple functions of the substances in the Dufour gland, including attracting workers and orienting them along trails (Wilson, 1962a, 1962b, 1962c). We recently found that components of S. invicta trail pheromone also mediate the ant's mutualism with aphids (Xu et al ., 2021). Regarding the chemical nature of the active substances in the Dufour gland, Barlin et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting the trail pheromone components of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren

Glauser

et al. 2022

Insect Science

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Ants use species-specific trail pheromones to coordinate their sophisticated foraging behavior. During the past decades, many trail pheromone components with various structures have been identified in ants, including the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, a notorious invasive species worldwide. Four compounds, Z,E-(ZEF) and E,E-αfarnesene (EEF), Z,E-(ZEHF) and E,E-α-homofarnesene (EEHF), have been reported as components of S. invicta trail pheromone. However, another study reported an analog of α-farnesene, Z,Z,Z-allofarnesene, as a key trail pheromone component. These contrasting results caused some uncertainty about the trail pheromone composition in S. invicta. In this study, we synthesized ZEF and EEF, ZEHF and EEHF, and reanalyzed the chemicals in the Dufour gland extract and in the trail pheromone fraction of S. invicta worker body extract. The reported isomers of farnesene and homofarnesene were detected and showed trail-following activity, with ZEF as the major compound, while no allofarnesene was found, neither in the Dufour gland extract nor in the whole-body extract. Our results confirm ZEF and EEF, ZEHF and EEHF as trail pheromone components of S. invicta.

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A trail pheromone mediates the mutualism between ants and aphids

Cited by 20 publications

References 72 publications

Neutrophil Immunomodulatory Activity of Farnesene, a Component of Artemisia dracunculus Essential Oils

Neutrophil Immunomodulatory Activity of Farnesene, a Component of Artemisia dracunculus Essential Oils

Exclusion of Mediterranean ant species enhances biological control of the invasive mealybug Delottococcus aberiae in citrus

Revisiting the trail pheromone components of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren

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