| Title: | Evolution of 'pollinator'- attracting signals in fungi |
| Author(s): | Schiestl FP; Steinebrunner F; Schulz C; von Reuss S; Francke W; Weymuth C; Leuchtmann A; |
| Address: | "Plant Ecological Genetics, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Universitatsstrasse 16, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland. florian.schiestl@env.ethz.ch" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1744-9561 (Print) 1744-957X (Electronic) 1744-9561 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Fungi produce a plethora of secondary metabolites yet their biological significance is often little understood. Some compounds show well-known antibiotic properties, others may serve as volatile signals for the attraction of insects that act as vectors of spores or gametes. Our investigations in an outcrossing, self-incompatible fungus show that a fungus-produced volatile compound with fungitoxic activities is also responsible for the attraction of specific insects that transfer gametes. We argue that insect attraction using this compound is likely to have evolved from its primary function of defence--as has been suggested for floral scent in the angiosperms. We, thus, propose that similar yet convergent evolutionary pathways have lead to interspecific communication signals in both fungi and plants" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Biological Assay Chromatography, Gas Diptera Electrophysiology Fatty Acids, Volatile/*analysis Flowers/anatomy & histology/microbiology Fungi/*chemistry/*growth & development Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Neurons/metabolism Odorants/*analys;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineSchiestl, Florian P Steinebrunner, Fabrizio Schulz, Claudia von Reuss, Stephan Francke, Wittko Weymuth, Christophe Leuchtmann, Adrian eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2006/12/07 Biol Lett. 2006 Sep 22; 2(3):401-4. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0479" |
