How plant?animal interactions signal new insights in communication

Schaefer, H. Martin; Schaefer, Veronika; Levey, Douglas J.

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2004.08.003

Cited by 275 publications

(231 citation statements)

References 67 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

224

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Chemical cues have the potential to augment or even be the major factor shaping interactions between some plants and pollinating floral parasites (Hossaert-McKey et al 2010;Raguso 2008;Schaefer et al 2004). Some pollinating floral parasites are known to respond more strongly to the floral scent signal of their specific hosts in areas where several potential host plant species occur in sympatry and attract different but closely related insect pollinators (Chen and Song 2008;HossaertMcKey et al 2010;Okamoto et al 2007;Proffit et al 2007;Svensson et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Floral Scent Contributes to Interaction Specificity in Coevolving Plants and Their Insect Pollinators

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Chemical defenses, repellents, and attractants are important shapers of species interactions. Chemical attractants could contribute to the divergence of coevolving plant-insect interactions, if pollinators are especially responsive to signals from the local plant species. We experimentally investigated patterns of daily floral scent production in three Lithophragma species (Saxifragaceae) that are geographically isolated and tested how scent divergence affects attraction of their major pollinator-the floral parasitic moth Greya politella (Prodoxidae). These moths oviposit through the corolla while simultaneously pollinating the flower with pollen adhering to the abdomen. The complex and species-specific floral scent profiles were emitted in higher amounts during the day, when these day-flying moths are active. There was minimal divergence found in petal color, which is another potential floral attractant. Female moths responded most strongly to scent from their local host species in olfactometer bioassays, and were more likely to oviposit in, and thereby pollinate, their local host species in no-choice trials. The results suggest that floral scent is an important attractant in this interaction. Local specialization in the pollinator response to a highly specific plant chemistry, thus, has the potential to contribute importantly to patterns of interaction specificity among coevolving plants and highly specialized pollinators.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Floral Scent Contributes to Interaction Specificity in Coevolving Plants and Their Insect Pollinators

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In flowers these pigments attract pollinators and in fruit skin they attract animals to aid in seed dispersal (Regan et al, 2001;Schaefer et al, 2004). Anthocyanins are also found in leaves, particularly during senescence (Feild et al, 2001), in stems, roots, and occasionally in fruit flesh and seeds.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Light-Induced Expression of a MYB Gene Regulates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Red Apples

Takos¹,

Jaffé²,

Jacob³

et al. 2006

Plant Physiol.

908

776

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Anthocyanins are secondary metabolites found in higher plants that contribute to the colors of flowers and fruits. In apples (Malus domestica Borkh.), several steps of the anthocyanin pathway are coordinately regulated, suggesting control by common transcription factors. A gene encoding an R2R3 MYB transcription factor was isolated from apple (cv Cripps' Pink) and designated MdMYB1. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence suggests that this gene encodes an ortholog of anthocyanin regulators in other plants. The expression of MdMYB1 in both Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants and cultured grape cells induced the ectopic synthesis of anthocyanin. In the grape (Vitis vinifera) cells MdMYB1 stimulated transcription from the promoters of two apple genes encoding anthocyanin biosynthetic enzymes. In ripening apple fruit the transcription of MdMYB1 was correlated with anthocyanin synthesis in red skin sectors of fruit. When dark-grown fruit were exposed to sunlight, MdMYB1 transcript levels increased over several days, correlating with anthocyanin synthesis in the skin. MdMYB1 gene transcripts were more abundant in red skin apple cultivars compared to non-red skin cultivars. Several polymorphisms were identified in the promoter of MdMYB1. A derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence marker designed to one of these polymorphisms segregated with the inheritance of skin color in progeny from a cross of an unnamed red skin selection (a sibling of Cripps' Pink) and the non-red skin cultivar Golden Delicious. We conclude that MdMYB1 coordinately regulates genes in the anthocyanin pathway and the expression level of this regulator is the genetic basis for apple skin color.

show abstract

“…It confers various different colors to plants and is essential in plant resistance, pollen spread, and UV protection (Feild et al, 2001;Regan et al, 2001;Schaefer et al, 2004). In addition, the coloration resulting from anthocyanin is an important agronomic trait, with roles in landscaping, the food industry, and health care (Lila, 2004;He and Giusti, 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Methylation of the PcMYB10 Promoter Is Associated with Green-Skinned Sport in Max Red Bartlett Pear

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Varieties of the European pear (Pyrus communis) can produce trees with both red-and green-skinned fruits, such as the Max Red Bartlett (MRB) variety, although little is known about the mechanism behind this differential pigmentation. In this study, we investigated the pigmentation of MRB and its green-skinned sport (MRB-G). The results suggest that a reduction in anthocyanin concentration causes the MRB-G sport. Transcript levels of PcUFGT (for UDP-glucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase), the key structural gene in anthocyanin biosynthesis, paralleled the change of anthocyanin concentration in both MRB and MRB-G fruit. We cloned the PcMYB10 gene, a transcription factor associated with the promoter of PcUFGT. An investigation of the 2-kb region upstream of the ATG translation start site of PcMYB10 showed the regions 2604 to 2911 bp and 21,218 to 21,649 bp to be highly methylated. A comparison of the PcMYB10 promoter methylation level between the MRB and MRB-G forms indicated a correlation between hypermethylation and the green-skin phenotype. An Agrobacterium tumefaciens infiltration assay was conducted on young MRB fruits by using a plasmid constructed to silence endogenous PcMYB10 via DNA methylation. The infiltrated fruits showed blocked anthocyanin biosynthesis, higher methylation of the PcMYB10 promoter, and lower expression of PcMYB10 and PcUFGT. We suggest that the methylation level of PcMYB10 is associated with the formation of the greenskinned sport in the MRB pear. The potential mechanism behind the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis is discussed.

show abstract

How plant?animal interactions signal new insights in communication

Cited by 275 publications

References 67 publications

Floral Scent Contributes to Interaction Specificity in Coevolving Plants and Their Insect Pollinators

Floral Scent Contributes to Interaction Specificity in Coevolving Plants and Their Insect Pollinators

Light-Induced Expression of a MYB Gene Regulates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Red Apples

The Methylation of the PcMYB10 Promoter Is Associated with Green-Skinned Sport in Max Red Bartlett Pear

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About