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Puchalski K, Jacobs BL, Langland JO. In vitro evaluation of antiviral activity in carnivorous plant species. Virology 2024; 597:110144. [PMID: 38943782 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Sarracenia purpurea is a carnivorous plant historically used to treat smallpox infections. Our previous data found S. purpurea had broad spectrum antiviral activity in vitro. S. purpurea is one of several hundred identified carnivorous species of plants. Carnivorous plants have evolved through convergent evolution in at least ten independent events, usually in response to harsh environments where nutrition from prey is required for growth. These prey are known vectors of plant viruses that might introduce novel biotic stressors and defense pathways in carnivorous plants. This study evaluated the antiviral activity of several non-carnivorous and carnivorous plants from four evolutionarily distinct clades. Results demonstrated that carnivorous plants have evolved antiviral activity, a trait that is not present in related species of non-carnivorous plants. The antiviral trait may be due to the plant-prey relationship with insect vectors and an evolutionary need for carnivorous plants to have more robust antiviral defense systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keely Puchalski
- Sonoran University of Health Sciences, Ric Scalzo Institute for Botanical Research, Tempe, AZ, 85282, USA
| | - Bertram L Jacobs
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-5401, USA
| | - Jeffrey O Langland
- Sonoran University of Health Sciences, Ric Scalzo Institute for Botanical Research, Tempe, AZ, 85282, USA; Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-5401, USA.
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Pavlovič A, Koller J, Vrobel O, Chamrád I, Lenobel R, Tarkowski P. Is the co-option of jasmonate signalling for botanical carnivory a universal trait for all carnivorous plants? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:334-349. [PMID: 37708289 PMCID: PMC10735409 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The carnivorous plants in the order Caryophyllales co-opted jasmonate signalling from plant defence to botanical carnivory. However, carnivorous plants have at least 11 independent origins, and here we ask whether jasmonate signalling has been co-opted repeatedly in different evolutionary lineages. We experimentally wounded and fed the carnivorous plants Sarracenia purpurea (order Ericales), Cephalotus follicularis (order Oxalidales), Drosophyllum lusitanicum (order Caryophyllales), and measured electrical signals, phytohormone tissue level, and digestive enzymes activity. Coronatine was added exogenously to confirm the role of jasmonates in the induction of digestive process. Immunodetection of aspartic protease and proteomic analysis of digestive fluid was also performed. We found that prey capture induced accumulation of endogenous jasmonates only in D. lusitanicum, in accordance with increased enzyme activity after insect prey or coronatine application. In C. follicularis, the enzyme activity was constitutive while in S. purpurea was regulated by multiple factors. Several classes of digestive enzymes were identified in the digestive fluid of D. lusitanicum. Although carnivorous plants from different evolutionary lineages use the same digestive enzymes, the mechanism of their regulation differs. All investigated genera use jasmonates for their ancient role, defence, but jasmonate signalling has been co-opted for botanical carnivory only in some of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Pavlovič
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Koller
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Vrobel
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Center of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Department of Genetic Resources for Vegetables, Medicinal and Special Plants, Crop Research Institute, Šlechtitelů 29, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ivo Chamrád
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University and Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - René Lenobel
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University and Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Tarkowski
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Center of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Department of Genetic Resources for Vegetables, Medicinal and Special Plants, Crop Research Institute, Šlechtitelů 29, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Fu CN, Wicke S, Zhu AD, Li DZ, Gao LM. Distinctive plastome evolution in carnivorous angiosperms. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:660. [PMID: 38124058 PMCID: PMC10731798 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04682-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Independent origins of carnivory in multiple angiosperm families are fabulous examples of convergent evolution using a diverse array of life forms and habitats. Previous studies have indicated that carnivorous plants have distinct evolutionary trajectories of plastid genome (plastome) compared to their non-carnivorous relatives, yet the extent and general characteristics remain elusive. RESULTS We compared plastomes from 9 out of 13 carnivorous families and their non-carnivorous relatives to assess carnivory-associated evolutionary patterns. We identified inversions in all sampled Droseraceae species and four species of Utricularia, Pinguicula, Darlingtonia and Triphyophyllum. A few carnivores showed distinct shifts in inverted repeat boundaries and the overall repeat contents. Many ndh genes, along with some other genes, were independently lost in several carnivorous lineages. We detected significant substitution rate variations in most sampled carnivorous lineages. A significant overall substitution rate acceleration characterizes the two largest carnivorous lineages of Droseraceae and Lentibulariaceae. We also observe moderate substitution rates acceleration in many genes of Cephalotus follicularis, Roridula gorgonias, and Drosophyllum lusitanicum. However, only a few genes exhibit significant relaxed selection. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that the carnivory of plants have different effects on plastome evolution across carnivorous lineages. The complex mechanism under carnivorous habitats may have resulted in distinctive plastome evolution with conserved plastome in the Brocchinia hechtioides to strongly reconfigured plastomes structures in Droseraceae. Organic carbon obtained from prey and the efficiency of utilizing prey-derived nutrients might constitute possible explanation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Nan Fu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, Yunnan, China
| | - Susann Wicke
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Späth-Arboretum of the Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - An-Dan Zhu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Lian-Ming Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, Yunnan, China.
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Płachno BJ, Kapusta M, Stolarczyk P, Świątek P, Lichtscheidl I. Differences in the Occurrence of Cell Wall Components between Distinct Cell Types in Glands of Drosophyllum lusitanicum. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15045. [PMID: 37894725 PMCID: PMC10606540 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Carnivorous plants are mixotrophs that have developed the ability to lure, trap, and digest small organisms and utilize components of the digested bodies. Leaves of Drosophyllum lusitanicum have two kinds of glands (emergences): stalked mucilage glands and sessile digestive glands. The stalked mucilage glands perform the primary role in prey lure and trapping. Apart from their role in carnivory, they absorb water condensed from oceanic fog; thus, plants can survive in arid conditions. To better understand the function of carnivorous plant emergences, the molecular composition of their cell walls was investigated using immunocytochemical methods. In this research, Drosophyllum lusitanicum was used as a study system to determine whether cell wall immunocytochemistry differs between the mucilage and digestive glands of other carnivorous plant species. Light and electron microscopy were used to observe gland structure. Fluorescence microscopy revealed the localization of carbohydrate epitopes associated with the major cell wall polysaccharides and glycoproteins. The mucilage gland (emergence) consists of a glandular head, a connecting neck zone, and stalk. The gland head is formed by an outer and inner layer of glandular (secretory) cells and supported by a layer of endodermoid (barrier) cells. The endodermoid cells have contact with a core of spongy tracheids with spiral-shaped thickenings. Lateral tracheids are surrounded by epidermal and parenchymal neck cells. Different patterns of cell wall components were found in the various cell types of the glands. Cell walls of glandular cells generally are poor in both low and highly esterified homogalacturonans (HGs) but enriched with hemicelluloses. Cell walls of inner glandular cells are especially rich in arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs). The cell wall ingrowths in glandular cells are significantly enriched with hemicelluloses and AGPs. In the case of cell wall components, the glandular cells of Drosophyllum lusitanicum mucilage glands are similar to the glandular cells of the digestive glands of Aldrovanda vesiculosa and Dionaea muscipula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz J. Płachno
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, 9 Gronostajowa St., 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kapusta
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Piotr Stolarczyk
- Department of Botany, Physiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 29 Listopada 54 Ave., 31-425 Kraków, Poland;
| | - Piotr Świątek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, 9 Bankowa St., 40-007 Katowice, Poland;
| | - Irene Lichtscheidl
- Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria;
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Pavlovič A, Vrobel O, Tarkowski P. Water Cannot Activate Traps of the Carnivorous Sundew Plant Drosera capensis: On the Trail of Darwin's 150-Years-Old Mystery. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12091820. [PMID: 37176877 PMCID: PMC10181276 DOI: 10.3390/plants12091820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
In his famous book Insectivorous plants, Charles Darwin observed that the bending response of tentacles in the carnivorous sundew plant Drosera rotundifolia was not triggered by a drop of water, but rather the application of many dissolved chemicals or mechanical stimulation. In this study, we tried to reveal this 150-years-old mystery using methods not available in his time. We measured electrical signals, phytohormone tissue level, enzyme activities and an abundance of digestive enzyme aspartic protease droserasin in response to different stimuli (water drop, ammonia, mechanostimulation, chitin, insect prey) in Cape sundew (Drosera capensis). Drops of water induced the lowest number of action potentials (APs) in the tentacle head, and accumulation of jasmonates in the trap was not significantly different from control plants. On the other hand, all other stimuli significantly increased jasmonate accumulation; the highest was found after the application of insect prey. Drops of water also did not induce proteolytic activity and an abundance of aspartic protease droserasin in contrast to other stimuli. We found that the tentacles of sundew plants are not responsive to water drops due to an inactive jasmonic acid signalling pathway, important for the induction of significant digestive enzyme activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Pavlovič
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Vrobel
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Department of Genetic Resources for Vegetables, Medicinal and Special Plants, Crop Research Institute, Šlechtitelů 29, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Tarkowski
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Department of Genetic Resources for Vegetables, Medicinal and Special Plants, Crop Research Institute, Šlechtitelů 29, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Yu M, Arai N, Ochiai T, Ohyama T. Expression and function of an S1-type nuclease in the digestive fluid of a sundew, Drosera adelae. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2023; 131:335-346. [PMID: 36546767 PMCID: PMC9992940 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Carnivorous plants trap and digest insects and similar-sized animals. Many studies have examined enzymes in the digestive fluids of these plants and have gradually unveiled the origins and gene expression of these enzymes. However, only a few attempts have been made at characterization of nucleases. This study aimed to reveal gene expression and the structural, functional and evolutionary characteristics of an S1-type nuclease (DAN1) in the digestive fluid of an Australian sundew, Drosera adelae, whose trap organ shows unique gene expression and related epigenetic regulation. METHODS Organ-specificity in Dan1 expression was examined using glandular tentacles, laminas, roots and inflorescences, and real-time PCR. The methylation status of the Dan1 promoter in each organ was clarified by bisulphite sequencing. The structural characteristics of DAN1 were studied by a comparison of primary structures of S1-type nucleases of three carnivorous and seven non-carnivorous plants. DAN1 was prepared using a cell-free protein synthesis system. Requirements for metal ions, optimum pH and temperature, and substrate preference were examined using conventional methods. KEY RESULTS Dan1 is exclusively expressed in the glandular tentacles and its promoter is almost completely unmethylated in all organs. This is in contrast to the S-like RNase gene da-I of Dr. adelae, which shows similar organ-specific expression, but is controlled by a promoter that is specifically unmethylated in the glandular tentacles. Comparison of amino acid sequences of S1-type nucleases identifies seven and three positions where amino acid residues are conserved only among the carnivorous plants and only among the non-carnivorous plants, respectively. DAN1 prefers a substrate RNA over DNA in the presence of Zn2+, Mn2+ or Ca2+ at an optimum pH of 4.0. CONCLUSIONS Uptake of phosphates from prey is suggested to be the main function of DAN1, which is very different from the known functions of S1-type nucleases. Evolution has modified the structure and expression of Dan1 to specifically function in the digestive fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Yu
- Major in Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Naoki Arai
- Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, 3-27-1 Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 221-8686, Japan
| | - Tadahiro Ochiai
- Major in Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Takashi Ohyama
- Major in Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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Baharin A, Ting TY, Goh HH. Omics Approaches in Uncovering Molecular Evolution and Physiology of Botanical Carnivory. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:408. [PMID: 36679121 PMCID: PMC9867145 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Systems biology has been increasingly applied with multiple omics for a holistic comprehension of complex biological systems beyond the reductionist approach that focuses on individual molecules. Different high-throughput omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, metagenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have been implemented to study the molecular mechanisms of botanical carnivory. This covers almost all orders of carnivorous plants, namely Caryophyllales, Ericales, Lamiales, and Oxalidales, except Poales. Studies using single-omics or integrated multi-omics elucidate the compositional changes in nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. The omics studies on carnivorous plants have led to insights into the carnivory origin and evolution, such as prey capture and digestion as well as the physiological adaptations of trap organ formation. Our understandings of botanical carnivory are further enhanced by the discoveries of digestive enzymes and transporter proteins that aid in efficient nutrient sequestration alongside dynamic molecular responses to prey. Metagenomics studies revealed the mutualistic relationships between microbes and carnivorous plants. Lastly, in silico analysis accelerated the functional characterization of new molecules from carnivorous plants. These studies have provided invaluable molecular data for systems understanding of carnivorous plants. More studies are needed to cover the diverse species with convergent evolution of botanical carnivory.
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Stellate Trichomes in Dionaea muscipula Ellis (Venus Flytrap) Traps, Structure and Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010553. [PMID: 36613996 PMCID: PMC9820793 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The digestive organs of carnivorous plants have external (abaxial) glands and trichomes, which perform various functions. Dionaea muscipula Ellis (the Venus flytrap) is a model carnivorous plant species whose traps are covered by external trichomes. The aim of the study was to fill in the gap regarding the structure of the stellate outer trichomes and their immunocytochemistry and to determine whether these data support the suggestions of other authors about the roles of these trichomes. Light and electron microscopy was used to show the trichomes' structure. Fluorescence microscopy was used to locate the carbohydrate epitopes that are associated with the major cell wall polysaccharides and glycoproteins. The endodermal cells and internal head cells of the trichomes were differentiated as transfer cells, and this supports the idea that stellate trichomes transport solutes and are not only tomentose-like trichomes. Trichome cells differ in the composition of their cell walls, e.g., the cell walls of the internal head cells are enriched with arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs). The cell walls of the outer head cells are poor in both low and highly homogalacturonans (HGs), but the immature trichomes are rich in the pectic polysaccharide (1-4)-β-D-galactan. In the immature traps, young stellate trichomes produce mucilage which may protect the trap surface, and in particular, the trap entrance. However, the role of these trichomes is different when the outer head cells collapse. In the internal head cells, a thick secondary wall cell was deposited, which together with the thick cell walls of the outer head cells played the role of a large apoplastic space. This may suggest that mature stellate trichomes might function as hydathodes, but this should be experimentally proven.
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Pavlovič A. How the sensory system of carnivorous plants has evolved. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 3:100462. [PMID: 36258665 PMCID: PMC9700200 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Pavlovič
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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Durak GM, Speck T, Poppinga S. Shapeshifting in the Venus flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula): Morphological and biomechanical adaptations and the potential costs of a failed hunting cycle. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:970320. [PMID: 36119615 PMCID: PMC9478607 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.970320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary roots of carnivory in the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) stem from a defense response to plant injury caused by, e.g., herbivores. Dionaea muscipula aka. Darwin's most wonderful plant underwent extensive modification of leaves into snap-traps specialized for prey capture. Even the tiny seedlings of the Venus flytrap already produce fully functional, millimeter-sized traps. The trap size increases as the plant matures, enabling capture of larger prey. The movement of snap-traps is very fast (~100-300 ms) and is actuated by a combination of changes in the hydrostatic pressure of the leaf tissue with the release of prestress (embedded energy), triggering a snap-through of the trap lobes. This instability phenomenon is facilitated by the double curvature of the trap lobes. In contrast, trap reopening is a slower process dependent on trap size and morphology, heavily reliant on turgor and/or cell growth. Once a prey item is caught, the trap reconfigures its shape, seals itself off and forms a digestive cavity allowing the plant to release an enzymatic cocktail to draw nutrition from its captive. Interestingly, a failed attempt to capture prey can come at a heavy cost: the trap can break during reopening, thus losing its functionality. In this mini-review, we provide a detailed account of morphological adaptations and biomechanical processes involved in the trap movement during D. muscipula hunting cycle, and discuss possible reasons for and consequences of trap breakage. We also provide a brief introduction to the biological aspects underlying plant motion and their evolutionary background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna M. Durak
- Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanical Garden, Department of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Speck
- Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanical Garden, Department of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT, Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon Poppinga
- Botanical Garden, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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Freund M, Graus D, Fleischmann A, Gilbert KJ, Lin Q, Renner T, Stigloher C, Albert VA, Hedrich R, Fukushima K. The digestive systems of carnivorous plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:44-59. [PMID: 35604105 PMCID: PMC9434158 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
To survive in the nutrient-poor habitats, carnivorous plants capture small organisms comprising complex substances not suitable for immediate reuse. The traps of carnivorous plants, which are analogous to the digestive systems of animals, are equipped with mechanisms for the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. Such capabilities have been acquired convergently over the past tens of millions of years in multiple angiosperm lineages by modifying plant-specific organs including leaves. The epidermis of carnivorous trap leaves bears groups of specialized cells called glands, which acquire substances from their prey via digestion and absorption. The digestive glands of carnivorous plants secrete mucilage, pitcher fluids, acids, and proteins, including digestive enzymes. The same (or morphologically distinct) glands then absorb the released compounds via various membrane transport proteins or endocytosis. Thus, these glands function in a manner similar to animal cells that are physiologically important in the digestive system, such as the parietal cells of the stomach and intestinal epithelial cells. Yet, carnivorous plants are equipped with strategies that deal with or incorporate plant-specific features, such as cell walls, epidermal cuticles, and phytohormones. In this review, we provide a systematic perspective on the digestive and absorptive capacity of convergently evolved carnivorous plants, with an emphasis on the forms and functions of glands.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andreas Fleischmann
- Botanische Staatssammlung München and GeoBio-Center LMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kadeem J Gilbert
- Department of Plant Biology & W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, Michigan 49060, USA
| | - Qianshi Lin
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Tanya Renner
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Christian Stigloher
- Imaging Core Facility of the Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Victor A Albert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| | - Rainer Hedrich
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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The complete mitochondrial genome of carnivorous Genlisea tuberosa (Lentibulariaceae): Structure and evolutionary aspects. Gene 2022; 824:146391. [PMID: 35259463 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Sequenced genomic data for carnivorous plants are scarce, especially regarding the mitogenomes (MTs) and further studies are crucial to obtain a better understanding of the topic. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the mitochondrial genome of the tuberous carnivorous plant Genlisea tuberosa, being the first of its genus to be sequenced. The genome comprises 729,765 bp, encoding 80 identified genes of which 36 are protein-coding, 40 tRNA, four rRNA genes, and three pseudogenes. An intronic region from the cox1 gene was identified that encodes an endonuclease enzyme that is present in the other sequenced species of Lentibulariaceae. Chloroplast genes (pseudogene and complete) inserted in the MT genome were identified, showing possible horizontal transfer between organelles. In addition, 50 pairs of long repeats from 94 to 274 bp are present, possibly playing an important role in the maintenance of the MT genome. Phylogenetic analysis carried out with 34 coding mitochondrial genes corroborated the positioning of the species listed here within the family. The molecular dynamism in the mitogenome (e.g. the loss or pseudogenization of genes, insertion of foreign genes, the long repeats as well as accumulated mutations) may be reflections of the carnivorous lifestyle where a significant part of cellular energy was shifted for the adaptation of leaves into traps molding the mitochondrial DNA. The sequence and annotation of G. tuberosa's MT will be useful for further studies and serve as a model for evolutionary and taxonomic clarifications of the group as well as improving our comprehension of MT evolution.
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Pavlovič A, Kocáb O. Alternative oxidase (AOX) in the carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes: what is it good for? ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 129:357-365. [PMID: 34922341 PMCID: PMC8835642 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes have evolved modified leaves that act as pitcher traps. The traps are specialized for prey attraction, capture, digestion and nutrient uptake but not for photosynthetic assimilation. METHODS In this study, we used antibodies against different photosynthetic (D1, Lhcb2, Lhcb4, RbcL) and respiratory-related (AOX, COXII) proteins for semi-quantification of these proteins in the assimilation part of the leaves and the pitcher traps of different Nepenthes species and hybrids. Different functional zones of the trap and the traps from different ontogenetic stages were investigated. The pitcher traps of the distantly related species Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa were used as an outgroup. In addition, chlorophyll fluorescence and infrared gas analysis were used for measurements of the net rate of photosynthesis (AN) and respiration in the dark (RD). KEY RESULTS The pitcher traps contained the same or lower abundance of photosynthesis-related proteins in accordance with their low AN in comparison to the assimilation part of the leaves. Surprisingly, all traps contained a high amount of alternative oxidase (AOX) and low amount of cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX II) than in the assimilation part of the leaves. Thermal imaging did not confirm the role of AOX in pitcher thermogenesis. CONCLUSIONS The pitcher traps contain a high amount of AOX enzyme. The possible role of AOX in specialized pitcher tissue is discussed based on knowledge of the role and function of AOX in non-carnivorous plants. The roles of AOX in prey attraction, balance between light and dark reactions of photosynthesis, homeostasis of reactive oxygen species, digestive physiology and nutrient assimilation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Pavlovič
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Kocáb
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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