Stenusine, an antimicrobial agent in the rove beetle genus Stenus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Abstract

Stenusine is well known as the alkaloid, discharged by the rove beetle, genus Stenus Latreille (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae). The Stenus beetles employ the alkaloid as an escape mechanism when on water surfaces. In the case of danger, they lower their abdomen and emit stenusine from their pygidial glands. Stenusine shows a low surface tension and therefore a high spreading pressure; these properties propel the beetle quickly over the water. Many Steninae do not live in habitats with open waters, but in detritus, leaf litter, mosses, etc. This raises the possibility that stenusine might also have another function, e.g., as antibiotic or fungicide. Stenus beetles show an intense grooming behaviour. With gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses we could prove that they cover themselves with their secretion. To tests its antimicrobial properties we conducted agar diffusion tests with stenusine and norstenusine, another substance that is abundant in most Stenus species. Both compounds have an antimicrobial effect on entomopathogenic bacteria and fungi. Stenusine not only allows for an extraordinary method of locomotion on water surfaces, it also protects the Steninae from being infested with microorganisms.

Grooming Behavior in American Cockroach is Affected by Novelty and Odor

“…Care of the body surface is thought to be important for disease prevention by elimination of pathogens [10, 11], fungi [12], and also parasites and parasitoids [13, 14]. Along with listed above, grooming is used to spread some substances throughout the integuments [11, 15, 16]. …”

New Pyridine Alkaloids from Rove Beetles of the Genus Stenus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

“…The pygidial gland constituents stenusine (4) and norstenusine (5) have antimicrobial activity. According to our study (Lusebrink et al, 2008), agar diffusion tests with a 57:43 (v/v) blend of (Z)- (1) and (E)-3-(2-methyl-1-butenyl)-pyridine (2) showed that the blend of 1 and 2 has higher antimicrobial properties at a content of 800 μg/disc than stenusine on in- Table I. Stenus species in which Z/E-isomers of 3-(2-methyl-1-butenyl)-pyridine (1, 2), 3-(1-isobutenyl)-pyridine (3), and stenusine (4) were detected by GC-MS. Brought to you by | MIT Libraries Authenticated Download Date | 5/10/18 5:34 PM sect pathogenic bacteria (Gram-positive: Bacillus sphaericus; Gram-negative: E. coli and Serratia entomophila).…”

Chemical diversity and potential biological functions of the pygidial gland secretions in two species of Neotropical dung roller beetles

“…Many beetle species secrete a variety of compounds from pygidial glands, compounds which have multiple functions in nature and have been the subject of numerous studies (Pasteels et al 1983;Witz and Mushinsky 1989;Kanehisa and Tsumuki 1996;Schultz and Puchalski 2001;Attygalle et al 2004;Francke and Dettner 2005;Holliday et al 2012;Schierling et al 2012). These compounds comprise a wide range of volatiles including carboxylic acids, carbonyl compounds, and alcohols, as well as simple aromatic compounds, derivatives of amino acids and hydrocarbons (Classen and Dettner 1983;Davidson et al 1989;Kelley and Schilling 1998;Will et al 2000;Francke and Dettner 2005;Lusebrink et al 2008). Dettner (1985) lists three functions of the pygidial gland secretions of Gyrinid beetles (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae): (a) to prevent microorganisms from attaching to the body, (b) to repel predators, and (c) to increase the wettability of the beetle's integument.…”