Title: | L-DOPA functions as a plant pheromone for belowground anti-herbivory communication |
Author(s): | Cascone P; Vuts J; Birkett MA; Dewhirst S; Rasmann S; Pickett JA; Guerrieri E; |
Address: | "Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, Italy. Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK. Arctech Innovation Keppel St, London, UK. Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland. School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Torino, Italy" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1461-0248 (Electronic) 1461-023X (Linking) |
Abstract: | "While mechanisms of plant-plant communication for alerting neighbouring plants of an imminent insect herbivore attack have been described aboveground via the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), we are yet to decipher the specific components of plant-plant signalling belowground. Using bioassay-guided fractionation, we isolated and identified the non-protein amino acid l-DOPA, released from roots of Acyrtosiphon pisum aphid-infested Vicia faba plants, as an active compound in triggering the production of VOCs released aboveground in uninfested plants. In behavioural assays, we show that after contact with l-DOPA, healthy plants become highly attractive to the aphid parasitoid (Aphidius ervi), as if they were infested by aphids. We conclude that l-DOPA, originally described as a brain neurotransmitter precursor, can also enhance immunity in plants" |
Keywords: | Animals Pheromones Levodopa Herbivory *Aphids/metabolism *Volatile Organic Compounds/metabolism Plants Host-Parasite Interactions Voc aphids parasitoids plant immunity plant-plant signalling root exudates; |
Notes: | "MedlineCascone, Pasquale Vuts, Jozsef Birkett, Michael A Dewhirst, Sarah Rasmann, Sergio Pickett, John A Guerrieri, Emilio eng 310030_204811/Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Forderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung/ BB/H001700/1/UK Research and Innovation/ Letter England 2023/01/29 Ecol Lett. 2023 Mar; 26(3):460-469. doi: 10.1111/ele.14164. Epub 2023 Jan 27" |