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Hamon LE, Youngsteadt E, Irwin RE, Sorenson CE. As prey and pollinators, insects increase reproduction and allow for outcrossing in the carnivorous plant Dionaea muscipula. Am J Bot 2024; 111:e16279. [PMID: 38290989 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
PREMISE Understanding the factors that limit reproductive success is a key component of plant biology. Carnivorous plants rely on insects as both nutrient sources and pollinators, providing a unique system for studying the effects of both resource and pollen limitation on plant reproduction. METHODS We conducted a field experiment using wild-growing Dionaea muscipula J. Ellis (Droseraceae) in which we manipulated prey and pollen in a factorial design and measured flower production, number of fruits, and number of seeds. Because understanding reproduction requires knowledge of a plant species' reproductive and pollination biology, we also examined the pollination system, per-visit pollinator effectiveness, and pollen-ovule (P/O) ratio of D. muscipula. RESULTS Plants that received supplemental prey produced more flowers than control plants. They also had a higher overall fitness estimate (number of flowers × fruit set (total fruits/total flowers) × seeds per fruit), although this benefit was significant only when prey supplementation occurred in the previous growing season. Neither pollen supplementation nor the interaction between pollen and prey supplementation significantly affected overall plant fitness. CONCLUSIONS This study reinforces the reliance of D. muscipula on adequate prey capture for flower, fruit, and seed production and a mobile pollen vector for reproduction, indicating the importance of considering insects as part of an effective conservation management plan for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Hamon
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
| | - Elsa Youngsteadt
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
- Center for Geospatial Analytics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rebecca E Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
| | - Clyde E Sorenson
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
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2
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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? J Exp Bot 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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3
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Procko C, Chory J. Carnivorous plant evolution: is a killer defense always the best option? J Exp Bot 2024; 75:9-12. [PMID: 38128899 PMCID: PMC10735428 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
This article comments on:Pavlovič A, Koller J, Vrobel O, Chamrád I, Lenobel R, and Tarkowski P. 2024. Is the co-option of jasmonate signalling for botanical carnivory a universal trait for all carnivorous plants? Journal of Experimental Botany 75, 334–349.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Procko
- Plant Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Joanne Chory
- Plant Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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4
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Płachno BJ, Kapusta M. The Localization of Cell Wall Components in the Quadrifids of Whole-Mount Immunolabeled Utricularia dichotoma Traps. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:56. [PMID: 38203227 PMCID: PMC10778831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Utricularia (bladderworts) are carnivorous plants. They produce small hollow vesicles, which function as suction traps that work underwater and capture fine organisms. Inside the traps, there are numerous glandular trichomes (quadrifids), which take part in the secretion of digestive enzymes, the resorption of released nutrients, and likely the pumping out of water. Due to the extreme specialization of quadrifids, they are an interesting model for studying the cell walls. This aim of the study was to fill in the gap in the literature concerning the immunocytochemistry of quadrifids in the major cell wall polysaccharides and glycoproteins. To do this, the localization of the cell wall components in the quadrifids was performed using whole-mount immunolabeled Utricularia traps. It was observed that only parts (arms) of the terminal cells had enough discontinuous cuticle to be permeable to antibodies. There were different patterns of the cell wall components in the arms of the terminal cells of the quadrifids. The cell walls of the arms were especially rich in low-methyl-esterified homogalacturonan. Moreover, various arabinogalactan proteins also occurred. Cell walls in glandular cells of quadrifids were rich in low-methyl-esterified homogalacturonan; in contrast, in the aquatic carnivorous plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa, cell walls in the glandular cells of digestive glands were poor in low-methyl-esterified homogalacturonan. Arabinogalactan proteins were found in the cell walls of trap gland cells in all studied carnivorous plants: Utricularia, and members of Droseraceae and Drosophyllaceae.
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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 Cracow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kapusta
- Laboratory of Bioimaging, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland;
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Płachno BJ. Carnivorous Plant Biology: From Gene to Traps. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16179. [PMID: 38003369 PMCID: PMC10671293 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Carnivorous plants (approximately 850 species) are specific mixotrophic plants which all perform photosynthesis but need mainly nitrogen and phosphorous from animal or protist bodies [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz J Płachno
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, 9 Gronostajowa St., 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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Fukushima K. Carnivorous plants: Unlocking the secrets of peristome geometry in pitcher plants. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1155-R1157. [PMID: 37935130 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
A recent study employs computational models to explore the functional morphology of carnivorous trapping pitchers in Nepenthes. Focusing on the peristome, the study uncovers new dimensions in form-function relationships, offering theoretical insights into the role of complex trap morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Fukushima
- Department for Molecular Plant-Physiology and Biophysics - Botany I, University of Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Institute for Biosciences, Würzburg, Germany.
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7
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Moulton DE, Oliveri H, Goriely A, Thorogood CJ. Mechanics reveals the role of peristome geometry in prey capture in carnivorous pitcher plants ( Nepenthes). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2306268120. [PMID: 37676908 PMCID: PMC10515166 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306268120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Carnivorous pitcher plants (Nepenthes) are a striking example of a natural pitfall trap. The trap's slippery rim, or peristome, plays a critical role in insect capture via an aquaplaning mechanism that is well documented. While the peristome has received significant research attention, the conspicuous variation in peristome geometry across the genus remains unexplored. We examined the mechanics of prey capture using Nepenthes pitcher plants with divergent peristome geometries. Inspired by living material, we developed a mathematical model that links the peristomes' three-dimensional geometries to the physics of prey capture under the laws of Newtonian mechanics. Linking form and function enables us to test hypotheses related to the function of features such as shape and ornamentation, orientation in a gravitational field, and the presence of "teeth," while analysis of the energetic costs and gains of a given geometry provides a means of inferring potential evolutionary pathways. In a separate modeling approach, we show how prey size may correlate with peristome dimensions for optimal capture. Our modeling framework provides a physical platform to understand how divergence in peristome morphology may have evolved in the genus Nepenthes in response to shifts in prey diversity, availability, and size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek E. Moulton
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, OxfordOX2 6GG, United Kingdom
| | - Hadrien Oliveri
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, OxfordOX2 6GG, United Kingdom
| | - Alain Goriely
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, OxfordOX2 6GG, United Kingdom
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Procko C, Wong WM, Patel J, Mousavi SAR, Dabi T, Duque M, Baird L, Chalasani SH, Chory J. Mutational analysis of mechanosensitive ion channels in the carnivorous Venus flytrap plant. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3257-3264.e4. [PMID: 37437572 PMCID: PMC10528943 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
How the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) evolved the remarkable ability to sense, capture, and digest animal prey for nutrients has long puzzled the scientific community.1 Recent genome and transcriptome sequencing studies have provided clues to the genes thought to play a role in these tasks.2,3,4,5 However, proving a causal link between these and any aspect of the plant's hunting behavior has been challenging due to the genetic intractability of this non-model organism. Here, we use CRISPR-Cas9 methods to generate targeted modifications in the Venus flytrap genome. The plant detects prey using touch-sensitive trigger hairs located on its bilobed leaves.6 Upon bending, these hairs convert mechanical touch signals into changes in the membrane potential of sensory cells, leading to rapid closure of the leaf lobes to ensnare the animal.7 Here, we generate mutations in trigger-hair-expressed MscS-like (MSL)-family mechanosensitive ion channel genes FLYCATCHER1 (FLYC1) and FLYCATCHER2 (FLYC2)5 and find that double-mutant plants have a reduced leaf-closing response to mechanical ultrasound stimulation. While we cannot exclude off-target effects of the CRISPR-Cas9 system, our genetic analysis is consistent with these and other functionally redundant mechanosensitive ion channels acting together to generate the sensory system necessary for prey detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Procko
- Plant Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Wen Mai Wong
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Janki Patel
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Seyed Ali Reza Mousavi
- Department of Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, Scripps Research, 3528 General Atomics Ct., San Diego, CA 92121, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA
| | - Tsegaye Dabi
- Plant Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA
| | - Marc Duque
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lisa Baird
- Department of Biology, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110, USA
| | - Sreekanth H Chalasani
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Joanne Chory
- Plant Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA
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Adamec L, Plačková L, Doležal K. Cytokinins and auxins in organs of aquatic carnivorous plants: what do they reflect? Ann Bot 2022; 130:869-882. [PMID: 36215097 PMCID: PMC9758306 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Aquatic carnivorous plants have typical rootless linear shoots bearing traps and exhibit steep physiological polarity with rapid apical growth. The aim was to analyse auxin and cytokinin metabolites in traps, leaves/shoots and shoot apices in several species of genera Aldrovanda and Utricularia to elucidate how the hormonal profiles reflect the specific organ functions and polarity. METHODS The main auxin and cytokinin metabolites were analysed in miniature samples (>2 mg dry weight) of different organs of Aldrovanda vesiculosa and six Utricularia species using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. KEY RESULTS Total contents of biologically active forms (free bases, ribosides) of all four main endogenously occurring cytokinin types were consistently higher in traps than in leaves in four Utricularia species with monomorphic shoots and/or higher than in shoots in two Utricularia species with dimorphic shoots. In Aldrovanda traps, the total content of different cytokinin forms was similar to or lower than that in shoots. In U. australis leaves, feeding on prey increased all cytokinin forms, while no consistent differences occurred in Aldrovanda. In four aquatic Utricularia species with monomorphic shoots, the content of four auxin forms was usually higher in traps than in leaves. Zero IAA content was determined in U. australis leaves from a meso-eutrophic site or when prey-fed. CONCLUSIONS Different cytokinin and auxin profiles estimated in traps and leaves/shoots of aquatic carnivorous plants indicate an association with different dominant functions of these organs: nutrient uptake by traps versus photosynthetic function of traps. Interplay of cytokinins and auxins regulates apical dominance in these plants possessing strong polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubomír Adamec
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, CZ-379 01 Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Plačková
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University & Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Doležal
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University & Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Pavlovič A. How the sensory system of carnivorous plants has evolved. Plant Commun 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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11
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Valdés A, Helmutsdóttir VF, Marteinsdottir B, Ehrlén J. Selection against early flowering in geothermally heated soils is associated with pollen but not prey availability in a carnivorous plant. Am J Bot 2022; 109:1693-1701. [PMID: 35971628 PMCID: PMC9826420 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE In high-latitude environments, plastic responses of phenology to increasing spring temperatures allow plants to extend growing seasons while avoiding late frosts. However, evolved plasticity might become maladaptive if climatic conditions change and spring temperatures no longer provide reliable cues for conditions important for fitness. Maladaptative phenological responses might be related to both abiotic factors and mismatches with interacting species. When mismatches arise, we expect selection to favor changes in phenology. METHODS We combined observations along a soil temperature gradient in a geothermally heated area with pollen and prey supplementation experiments and examined how phenotypic selection on flowering time in the carnivorous plant Pinguicula vulgaris depends on soil temperature, and pollen and prey availability. RESULTS Flowering advanced and fitness decreased with increasing soil temperature. However, in pollen-supplemented plants, fitness instead increased with soil temperature. In heated soils, there was selection favoring later flowering, while earlier flowering was favored in unheated soils. This pattern remained also after artificially increasing pollen and prey availability. CONCLUSIONS Plant-pollinator mismatches can be an important reason why evolved plastic responses of flowering time to increasing spring temperatures become maladaptive under novel environmental conditions, and why there is selection to delay flowering. In our study, selection for later flowering remained after artificially increasing pollen availability, suggesting that abiotic factors also contribute to the observed selection. Identifying the factors that make evolved phenological responses maladaptive under novel conditions is fundamental for understanding and predicting evolutionary responses to climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Valdés
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversitySE‐106 91StockholmSweden
- Bolin Centre for Climate ResearchStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Vigdís F. Helmutsdóttir
- The Soil Conservation Service of Iceland851 HellaIceland
- Institute of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Iceland102 ReykjavíkIceland
| | | | - Johan Ehrlén
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversitySE‐106 91StockholmSweden
- Bolin Centre for Climate ResearchStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
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Poppinga S, Knorr N, Ruppert S, Speck T. Chemonastic Stalked Glands in the Carnivorous Rainbow Plant Byblis gigantea LINDL. (Byblidaceae, Lamiales). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911514. [PMID: 36232812 PMCID: PMC9569831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Carnivorous rainbow plants (Byblis, Byblidaceae, Lamiales) possess sticky flypaper traps for the capture, retention, and digestion of prey (mainly small insects). The trapping system is based on a multitude of millimeter-sized glandular trichomes (also termed stalked glands), which produce adhesive glue drops. For over a century, the trapping system of Byblis was considered passive, meaning that no plant movement is involved. Recently, a remarkable discovery was made: the stalked glands of Byblis are indeed capable of reacting to chemical (protein) stimuli with slow movement responses. This prompted us to investigate this phenomenon further with a series of experiments on the stimulation, kinematics, actuation, and functional morphology of the stalked glands of cultivated Byblis gigantea plants. Measured stalked gland lengths and densities on the trap leaves are similar to the data from the literature. Motion reactions could only be triggered with chemical stimuli, corroborating the prior study on the stalked gland sensitivity. Reaction time (i.e., time from stimulation until the onset of motion) and movement duration are temperature-dependent, which hints towards a tight physiological control of the involved processes. The stalked gland movement, which consist of a sequence of twisting and kinking motions, is rendered possible by the components of the stalk cell wall and is furthermore anatomically and mechanically predetermined by the orientation of cellulose microfibrils in the cell wall. Successive water displacement processes from the stalk cell into the basal cells actuate the movement. The same kinematics could be observed in stalked glands drying in air or submersed in a saturated salt solution. Stimulated and dried stalked glands as well as those from the hypertonic medium were capable of regaining their initial shape by rehydration in water. However, no glue production could be observed afterwards. The long-time overlooked chemonastic movements of stalked glands may help Byblis to retain and digest its prey; however, further research is needed to shed light on the ecological characteristics of the rainbow plant’s trapping system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Poppinga
- Botanical Garden, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Noah Knorr
- Botanical Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ruppert
- Botanical Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Thomas Speck
- Botanical Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, 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 Physiol 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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14
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Kruppert S, Horstmann M, Weiss LC, Konopka E, Kubitza N, Poppinga S, Westermeier AS, Speck T, Tollrian R. Facing the Green Threat: A Water Flea's Defenses against a Carnivorous Plant. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:6474. [PMID: 35742915 PMCID: PMC9223663 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Every ecosystem shows multiple levels of species interactions, which are often difficult to isolate and to classify regarding their specific nature. For most of the observed interactions, it comes down to either competition or consumption. The modes of consumption are various and defined by the nature of the consumed organism, e.g., carnivory, herbivory, as well as the extent of the consumption, e.g., grazing, parasitism. While the majority of consumers are animals, carnivorous plants can also pose a threat to arthropods. Water fleas of the family Daphniidae are keystone species in many lentic ecosystems. As most abundant filter feeders, they link the primary production to higher trophic levels. As a response to the high predatory pressures, water fleas have evolved various inducible defenses against animal predators. Here we show the first example, to our knowledge, in Ceriodaphnia dubia of such inducible defenses of an animal against a coexisting plant predator, i.e., the carnivorous bladderwort (Utricularia x neglecta Lehm, Lentibulariaceae). When the bladderwort is present, C. dubia shows changes in morphology, life history and behavior. While the morphological and behavioral adaptations improve C. dubia's survival rate in the presence of this predator, the life-history parameters likely reflect trade-offs for the defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Kruppert
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany; (M.H.); (L.C.W.); (E.K.); (N.K.); (R.T.)
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, USA
- Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; (S.P.); (A.S.W.); (T.S.)
| | - Martin Horstmann
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany; (M.H.); (L.C.W.); (E.K.); (N.K.); (R.T.)
| | - Linda C. Weiss
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany; (M.H.); (L.C.W.); (E.K.); (N.K.); (R.T.)
| | - Elena Konopka
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany; (M.H.); (L.C.W.); (E.K.); (N.K.); (R.T.)
| | - Nadja Kubitza
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany; (M.H.); (L.C.W.); (E.K.); (N.K.); (R.T.)
| | - Simon Poppinga
- Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; (S.P.); (A.S.W.); (T.S.)
- Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF), Stefan-Meier-Straße 21, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Botanical Garden, Department of Biology, Schnittspahnstraße 2, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Anna S. Westermeier
- Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; (S.P.); (A.S.W.); (T.S.)
- Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies (FIT), Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Thomas Speck
- Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; (S.P.); (A.S.W.); (T.S.)
- Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF), Stefan-Meier-Straße 21, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies (FIT), Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Ralph Tollrian
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany; (M.H.); (L.C.W.); (E.K.); (N.K.); (R.T.)
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15
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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? Ann Bot 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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16
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Lichtscheidl I, Lancelle S, Weidinger M, Adlassnig W, Koller-Peroutka M, Bauer S, Krammer S, Hepler PK. Gland cell responses to feeding in Drosera capensis, a carnivorous plant. Protoplasma 2021; 258:1291-1306. [PMID: 34155556 PMCID: PMC8523503 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-021-01667-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Glands of Drosera absorb and transport nutrients from captured prey, but the mechanism and dynamics remain unclear. In this study, we offered animal proteins in the form of fluorescent albumin (FITC-BSA) and observed the reactions of the glands by live cell imaging and fluorescence microscopy. The ultrastructure of these highly dynamic processes was also assessed in high-pressure frozen and freeze substituted (HPF-FS) cells. HPF-FS yielded excellent preservation of the cytoplasm of all cell types, although the cytosol looked different in gland cells as compared to endodermoid and stalk cells. Especially prominent were the ER and its contacts with the plasma membrane, plasmodesmata, and other organelles as well as continuities between organelles. Also distinct were actin microfilaments in association with ER and organelles. Application of FITC-BSA to glands caused the formation of fluorescent endosomes that pinched off the plasma membrane. Endosomes fused to larger aggregates, and accumulated in the bulk cytoplasm around the nucleus. They did not fuse with the cell sap vacuole but remained for at least three days; in addition, fluorescent vesicles also proceeded through endodermoid and transfer cells to the epidermal and parenchymal cells of the tentacle stalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Lichtscheidl
- Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sue Lancelle
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 221 Morrill Science Center III; 611 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003-9297 USA
| | - Marieluise Weidinger
- Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfram Adlassnig
- Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marianne Koller-Peroutka
- Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonja Bauer
- Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefanie Krammer
- Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter K. Hepler
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 221 Morrill Science Center III; 611 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003-9297 USA
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17
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Ortuño-Mendieta M, Hernández-Alvear NA, Alcalá RE. Response of a carnivorous plant to simulated herbivory. Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2021; 23:1044-1050. [PMID: 34532929 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Studies addressing the impact of herbivory in carnivorous plants are scarce, despite loss of tissue being expected to be costly, as leaves are involved in both energy and nutrient acquisition. We evaluated the effect of simulated herbivory in a population of the carnivorous plant Pinguicula moranensis. We predicted an overall negative impact of herbivory by reducing growth, flowering probability and survivorship. Specifically, we expected that the increase in the negative effect should be related to the amount of leaf area removed. We performed simulated herbivory in plants growing in situ (2015) and ex situ (greenhouse, 2016) using a paper punch (herbivory ranging from 0 to 50%). In the ex-situ experiment, we also tested the effect of availability of resources by implementing a prey addition trial where half of the plants were supplemented with prey (one fruit fly per week). In both experiments, our hypothesis was not supported, as growth, flowering probability and survivorship were not influenced by herbivory treatments. Plants subjected to prey addition did not show higher performance than plants deprived of prey, contradicting our prediction that availability of resources could ameliorate the effect of herbivory. Overall, the lack of differences in performance between undamaged (control) and damaged plants indicate an unexpected short-term ability of P. moranensis to tolerate herbivory, even at high levels of damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ortuño-Mendieta
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - N A Hernández-Alvear
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - R E Alcalá
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
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18
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Jakšová J, Adamec L, Petřík I, Novák O, Šebela M, Pavlovič A. Contrasting effect of prey capture on jasmonate accumulation in two genera of aquatic carnivorous plants (Aldrovanda, Utricularia). Plant Physiol Biochem 2021; 166:459-465. [PMID: 34166972 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial carnivorous plants of genera Drosera, Dionaea and Nepenthes within the order Caryophyllales employ jasmonates for the induction of digestive processes in their traps. Here, we focused on two aquatic carnivorous plant genera with different trapping mechanism from distinct families and orders: Aldrovanda (Droseraceae, Caryophyllales) with snap-traps and Utricularia (Lentibulariaceae, Lamiales) with suction traps. Using phytohormone analyses and simple biotest, we asked whether the jasmonates are involved in the activation of carnivorous response similar to that known in traps of terrestrial genera of Droseraceae (Drosera, Dionaea). The results showed that Utricularia, in contrast with Aldrovanda, does not use jasmonates for activation of carnivorous response and is the second genus in Lamiales, which has not co-opted jasmonate signalling for botanical carnivory. On the other hand, the nLC-MS/MS analyses revealed that both genera secreted digestive fluid containing cysteine protease homologous to dionain although the mode of its regulation may differ. Whereas in Utricularia the cysteine protease is present constitutively in digestive fluid, it is induced by prey and exogenous application of jasmonic acid in Aldrovanda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Jakšová
- Department of Biophysics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Lubomír Adamec
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Experimental and Functional Morphology, Dukelská135, CZ-379 82, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Petřík
- 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
| | - Ondřej Novák
- 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
| | - Marek Šebela
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, and Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, CATRIN, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Andrej Pavlovič
- Department of Biophysics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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19
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Kang V, Isermann H, Sharma S, Wilson DI, Federle W. How a sticky fluid facilitates prey retention in a carnivorous pitcher plant (Nepenthes rafflesiana). Acta Biomater 2021; 128:357-369. [PMID: 33862281 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Nepenthes pitcher plants grow in nutrient-poor soils and produce large pitfall traps to obtain additional nutrients from animal prey. Previous research has shown that the digestive secretion in N. rafflesiana is a sticky viscoelastic fluid that retains insects much more effectively than water, even after significant dilution. Although the retention of prey is known to depend on the fluid's physical properties, the details of how the fluid interacts with insect cuticle and how its sticky nature affects struggling insects are unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms behind the efficient prey retention in N. rafflesiana pitcher fluid. By measuring the attractive forces on insect body parts moved in and out of test fluids, we show that it costs insects more energy to free themselves from pitcher fluid than from water. Moreover, both the maximum force and the energy required for retraction increased after the first contact with the pitcher fluid. We found that insects sink more easily into pitcher fluid than water and, accordingly, the surface tension of N. rafflesiana pitcher fluid was lower than that of water (60.2 vs. 72.3 mN/m). By analysing the pitcher fluid's wetting behaviour, we demonstrate that it strongly resists dewetting from all surfaces tested, leaving behind residual films and filaments that can facilitate re-wetting. This inhibition of dewetting may be a further consequence of the fluid's viscoelastic nature and likely represents a key mechanism underlying prey retention in Nepenthes pitcher plants. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants secrete sticky viscoelastic fluids that prevent insects from escaping after falling into the pitcher. What physical mechanisms are responsible for the fluid's retentive function? First, insects sink and drown more readily in N. rafflesiana pitcher fluid due to its reduced surface tension. Second, once within the fluid, our force measurements show that it costs more energy to separate insects from pitcher fluid than from water. Third, the fluid strongly resists dewetting, making it harder for insects to extract themselves and covering their cuticle with residues that facilitate re-wetting. Such striking inhibition of dewetting may represent a previously unrecognised mechanism of prey retention by Nepenthes. Pitcher fluid fulfils a well-defined biological function and may serve as a model for studying the mechanics of complex fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Kang
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
| | - Hauke Isermann
- City University of Applied Sciences Bremen, Neustadtswall 30, 28199 Bremen, Germany
| | - Saksham Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - D Ian Wilson
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Walter Federle
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
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20
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Kocáb O, Bačovčinová M, Bokor B, Šebela M, Lenobel R, Schöner CR, Schöner MG, Pavlovič A. Enzyme activities in two sister-species of carnivorous pitcher plants (Nepenthes) with contrasting nutrient sequestration strategies. Plant Physiol Biochem 2021; 161:113-121. [PMID: 33581619 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.01.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes usually attract, capture and digest arthropod prey to obtain mineral nutrients. But few members of the genus have evolved specialized nutrient sequestration strategies to acquire nitrogen from the faeces and urine of mutualistic mammals, which they attract. Because the plants obtain significant amounts of nitrogen in a more available form, we hypothesized that they have relaxed the production of digestive enzymes. If so, species that digest mammal faeces should show fewer digestive enzymes than closely related species that rely on arthropods. We tested this hypothesis by comparing digestive enzymes in 1) Nepenthes hemsleyana, whose pitchers serve as roosts for the mutualistic woolly bat Kerivoula hardwickii, which also defecate inside the pitchers, and 2) the close relative Nepenthes rafflesiana, a typical arthropod capturing species. To investigate the dynamics of aspartic proteases (nepenthesin I and II) and type III and IV chitinases in both species, we conducted qPCR, western blotting, mass spectrometry, and enzyme activity measurements. We found that mRNA in pitcher tissue and enzyme abundance in the digestive fluid is upregulated in both species in response to faeces and insect feeding. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, the final nepenthesin proteolytic activity in the digestive fluid is higher in response to faeces addition than to insect prey irrespective of Nepenthes species. This indicates that faeces can mimic arthropod prey triggering the production of digestive enzymes and N. hemsleyana retained capacity for production of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Kocáb
- Department of Biophysics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Bačovčinová
- Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Šafárik University, Mánesova 23, SK-040 01, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Boris Bokor
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, Mlynská Dolina B2, SK-842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia; Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 8, SK-841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marek Šebela
- Department of Protein Biochemistry and Proteomics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - René Lenobel
- Department of Protein Biochemistry and Proteomics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Caroline R Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael G Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andrej Pavlovič
- Department of Biophysics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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