The Evolution of Function in Plant Secondary Metabolites

Theis, Nina; Lerdau, Manuel

doi:10.1086/374190

Cited by 314 publications

(199 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…This variation is exemplified by the concentrations of single monoterpenes in the needles of trees sampled in the capercaillie study; the mean of the coefficients of variation of monoterpene concentrations calculated across the 42 trees was 57 per cent, in contrast to 11 per cent for needle nitrogen and 18 per cent for needle magnesium concentrations. Constitutive variation in monoterpenes within and between pine populations is genetically determined to a large degree [30][31][32][33]. All herbivore species studied here exert large impacts on Scots pine and all eat needle tissue.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Do multiple herbivores maintain chemical diversity of Scots pine monoterpenes?

Iason¹,

O’Reilly-Wapstra

Brewer

et al. 2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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A central issue in our understanding of the evolution of the diversity of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) is whether or not compounds are functional, conferring an advantage to the plant, or nonfunctional. We examine the hypothesis that the diversity of monoterpene PSMs within a plant species (Scots pine Pinus sylvestris) may be explained by different compounds acting as defences against high-impact herbivores operating at different life stages. We also hypothesize that pairwise coevolution, with uncorrelated interactions, is more likely to result in greater PSM diversity, than diffuse coevolution. We tested whether up to 13 different monoterpenes in Scots pine were inhibitory to herbivory by slugs (Arion ater), bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), each of which attack trees at a different life stage. Plants containing more a-pinene were avoided by both slugs and capercaillie, which may act as reinforcing selective agents for this dominant defensive compound. Herbivory by red deer and capercaillie were, respectively, weakly negatively associated with d 3 -carene, and strongly negatively correlated with the minor compound b-ocimene. Three of the four herbivores are probably contributory selective agents on some of the terpenes, and thus maintain some, but by no means all, of the phytochemical diversity in the species. The correlated defensive function of a-pinene against slugs and capercaillie is consistent with diffuse coevolutionary processes.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Do multiple herbivores maintain chemical diversity of Scots pine monoterpenes?

Iason¹,

O’Reilly-Wapstra

Brewer

et al. 2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…Terpenoids have been found to be useful in the prevention and therapy of several diseases, including cancer, and also to have antimicrobial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, anti-allergenic, antispasmodic, antihyperglycemic, antiinflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties [45][46][47][48] . In addition, terpenoids can be used as protective substances in storing agriculture products as they are known to have insecticidal properties [49] . Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that monoterpenes may be helpful in the prevention and therapy of several cancers, including mammary, skin, lung, forestomach, colon, pancreatic and prostate carcinomas [34,[50][51][52][53][54][55] .…”

Section: Terpenoidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terpenoids as potential chemopreventive and therapeutic agents in liver cancer

Thoppil

Bishayee²

2011

WJH

278

143

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Despite significant advances in medicine, liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma remains a major cause of death in the United States as well as the rest of the world. As limited treatment options are currently available to patients with liver cancer, novel preventive control and effective therapeutic approaches are considered to be reasonable and decisive measures to combat this disease. Several naturally occurring dietary and non-dietary phytochemicals have shown enormous potential in the prevention and treatment of several cancers, especially those of the gastrointestinal tract. Terpenoids, the largest group of phytochemicals, traditionally used for medicinal purposes in India and China, are currently being explored as anticancer agents in clinical trials. Terpenoids (also called "isoprenoids") are secondary metabolites occurring in most organisms, particularly plants. More than 40 000 individual terpenoids are known to exist in nature with new compounds being discovered every year. A large number of terpenoids exhibit cytotoxicity against a variety of tumor cells and cancer preventive as well as anticancer efficacy in preclinical animal models. This review critically examines the potential role of naturally occurring terpenoids, from diverse origins, in the chemoprevention and treatment of liver tumors. Both in vitro and in vivo effects of these agents and related cellular and molecular mechanisms are highlighted. Potential challenges and future directions involved in the advancement of these promising natural compounds in the chemoprevention and therapy of human liver cancer are also discussed.

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“…It is hypothesized that the acetate/mevalonate (MVA) pathway produces the precursors to SQTs and multiples thereof, such as triterpenes (Theis and Lerdau, 2003), while the deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate/methylerithritol phosphate pathway (DOXP/MEP) (Lichtenthaler, 1999) pathway leads to the production of isoprene and MTs. Certain terpenes, such as isoprene and a few MTs, are emitted directly after production, while most MTs and all SQTs are accumulated in specific, specialized structures for a period of time after production and before volatilization (Niinemets and Reichstein, 2003).…”

Section: Plant Bvoc Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%