Secondary Metabolites as Plant Traits: Current Assessment and Future Perspectives

Hadaček, Franz

doi:10.1080/0735-260291044269

Cited by 229 publications

(141 citation statements)

References 152 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

119

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…For example, chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, alter their foraging to include medicinal substances (particular plant species) in their diets to cure helminth infections ( Wrangham, 1995). Plants are good candidates for prophylactic or therapeutic foods as they often contain metabolites that display a wide range of biological activities ( Cowan, 1999) which were originally evolved to combat herbivores or plant-parasites ( Hadacek, 2002). This preferential ingestion of “non-nutritive” food and chemicals to self-medicate is known as pharmacophagy or zoopharmacognosy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weak and contradictory effects of self-medication with nectar nicotine by parasitized bumblebees

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The presence of antimicrobial secondary metabolites in nectar suggests that pollinators, which are threatened globally by emergent disease, may benefit from the consumption of nectars rich in these metabolites. We tested whether nicotine, a nectar secondary metabolite common in Solenaceae and Tilia species, is used by parasitized bumblebees as a source of self-medication , using a series of toxicological, microbiological and behavioural experiments. Caged bees infected with Crithidia bombi [TI1] had a slight preference for sucrose solution laced with the alkaloid and behavioural tests showed that the parasite infection induced an increased consumption of nicotine during foraging activity. When ingested, nicotine delayed the progression of a gut infection in bumblebees by a few days, but dietary nicotine did not clear the infection, and after 10 days the parasite load approached that of control bees. Moreover, when pathogens were exposed to the alkaloid prior to host ingestion the protozoan’s viability was not directly affected, suggesting that anti-parasite effects were relatively weak. Nicotine consumption in a single dose did not impose any cost even in food-stressed bees (starved) but the alkaloid had detrimental effects on healthy bees if consistently consumed for weeks. These toxic effects disappeared in infected bees suggesting that detoxification costs might have been counterbalanced by the advantages in slowing the progression of the infection. Nonetheless we did not find a benefit of nicotine consumption in terms of life expectancy of infected bees, making these findings difficult to interpret. Our results indicate that caution is warranted in interpreting impacts of plant metabolites on insect parasites and suggest that the conditions under which nicotine consumption provides benefits to either bees or plants remain to be identified. The contention that secondary metabolites in nectar may be under selection from pollinators, or used by plants to enhance their own reproductive success, remains to be confirmed.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weak and contradictory effects of self-medication with nectar nicotine by parasitized bumblebees

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Aromatic structures can be formed either by the polyketide or the shikimic acid pathway, the latter also being a prerequisite to synthetize aromatic amino acids. More information is available in the literature (Rohmer, 1999;Romeo et al, 2000;Hadacek, 2002;Buchanan et al, 2009;Weng and Noel, 2012;Anarat-Cappillino and Sattely, 2014).…”

Section: Lmwms In Living Organisms Definition Biosynthesis and Orgamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Depending on molecular size and the presence and absence of polar functional groups LMWMs are either volatile or non-volatile. There exist numerous review articles and books on LMWMs that focus on one or more of the above mentioned aspects, the cited ones just representing a subjective selection (Betina, 1989;Gräfe, 1992;Seigler, 1998;Reese et al, 2000;Dixon, 2001;Hadacek, 2002;Crozier, 2006;Hedden and Thomas, 2006;Hartmann, 2007;Bednarek and Osbourn, 2009;Buchanan et al, 2009;Greenstein and Wood, 2011;Bräse et al, 2013).…”

Section: Lmwms In Living Organisms Definition Biosynthesis and Orgamentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-molecular-weight metabolite systems chemistry

Hadaček

Bachmann

2015

Front. Environ. Sci.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Low-molecular-weight metabolites (LMWMs) comprise primary or central and a plethora of intermediary or secondary metabolites, all of which are characterized by a molecular weight below 900 Dalton. The latter are especially prominent in sessile higher organisms, such as plants, corals, sponges and fungi, but are produced by all types of microbial organisms too. Common to all of these carbon molecules are oxygen, nitrogen and, to a lesser extent, sulfur, as heteroatoms. The latter can contribute as electron donators or acceptors to cellular redox chemistry and define the potential of the molecule to enter charge-transfer complexes. Furthermore, they allow LMWMs to serve as organic ligands in coordination complexes with various inorganic metals as central atoms. Especially the transition metals Fe, Cu, and Mn can catalyze one electron reduction of molecular oxygen, which results in formation of free radical species and reactive follow-up reaction products. As antioxidants LMWMs can scavenge free radicals. Depending on the chemical environment, the same LMWMs can act as pro-oxidants by reducing molecular oxygen. The cellular regulation of redox homeostasis, a balance between oxidation and reduction, is still far from being understood. Charge-transfer and coordination complex formation with metals shapes LMWMs into gel-like matrices in the cytosol. The quasi-polymer structure is lost usually during the isolation procedure. In the gel state, LMWMs possess semiconductor properties. Also proteins and membranes are semiconductors. Together they can represent biotransistor components that can be part of a chemoelectrical signaling system that coordinates systems chemistry by initiating cell differentiation or tissue homeostasis, the activated and the resting cell state, when it is required. This concept is not new and dates back to Albert Szent-Györgyi.

show abstract

“…The superiority of the possible allelopathic effects of MAC in comparison to INF should be explained by the extraction method, where using tissue fragmentation is more efficient, since the secondary metabolites may be in certain organs, tissues or specific cellular structures (Hadacek, 2002). Another important characteristic that could have affected the INF performance was the extraction temperature.…”

Section: Germination and Germination Speed Index Of Bidens Subalternansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Allelochemicals are water soluble; thus, can be extracted and applied by foliar sprays or in contact with the seed (Bajwa et al, 2015). Secondary metabolites are not produced and found uniformly in the plant, and may be in organs, tissues or specific cellular structures like vacuole, idioblasts and trichomes (Hadacek, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allelopathic potential of Cymbopogon citratus over beggarticks (Bidens sp.) germination

Krenchinski¹,

Albrecht²,

Albrecht³

et al. 2017

Aust J Crop Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Allelochemicals are important and innovative tools for weed control as they neither harm the environment nor increase weed management costs. The secondary metabolites can be extracted by water or soaking and later applied in soil or leaves. This study evaluated the leaf extracts of Cymbopogon citratus, affecting germination of Bidens pilosa and B. subalternans seeds. Two trials were conducted in germination chambers. The completely randomized design was employed in both trials with 5 replications. Trial one was arranged in a 2×3 double factorial design, with two periods of leave collection (morning and afternoon); and three extract preparations (aqueous extract by maceration, aqueous extract by infusion and control with distilled water). Trial two was set up in a 2×2×5 triple factorial design, with two extracts (aqueous extract by maceration, aqueous extract by infusion); two time of day collection (morning and afternoon) and five extracts concentrations (0; 25; 50; 75 and 100%). The means were compared by F and Tukey's test (p ≤ 0.05). To evaluate extracts concentrations a regression analysis was run. The results showed that the aqueous extract by maceration of C. citratus decreased germination and germination speed of Bidens pilosa and Bidens subalternans more than the aqueous extract by infusion, for both species. The concentrations interfered, inversely and proportionally, decreasing germination and germination speed. The germination of beggarticks was affected by the extracts of C. citratus, suggesting further studies for this plant.

show abstract

Secondary Metabolites as Plant Traits: Current Assessment and Future Perspectives

Cited by 229 publications

References 152 publications

Weak and contradictory effects of self-medication with nectar nicotine by parasitized bumblebees

Weak and contradictory effects of self-medication with nectar nicotine by parasitized bumblebees

Low-molecular-weight metabolite systems chemistry

Allelopathic potential of Cymbopogon citratus over beggarticks (Bidens sp.) germination

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About