Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Victor Kang, Hauke Isermann, Saksham Sharma, D. Ian Wilson, Walter Federle
Summary: The study reveals the efficient prey retention mechanism in Nepenthes pitcher plants, including the reduced surface tension of the fluid leading to easier sinking of insects, and the fluid's resistance to dewetting making it harder for insects to escape, thus facilitating re-wetting.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mathias Scharmann, Andreas Wistuba, Alex Widmer
Summary: The evolutionary history of Nepenthes, a genus of around 160 species of carnivorous plants mainly found in tropical Asia, is around 5 million years old. The study confirms previous bifurcating phylogenies and reveals the importance of introgression and hybridization in plant evolution. Organellar capture, admixture graphs, and phylogenetic network analyses provide evidence of introgression events within and between different clades of the main radiation of Nepenthes.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ondrej Kocab, Michaela Bacovcinova, Boris Bokor, Marek Sebela, Rene Lenobel, Caroline R. Schoner, Michael G. Schoner, Andrej Pavlovic
Summary: The Nepenthes hemsleyana, which feeds on faeces, requires less digestive enzymes compared to its close relative Nepenthes rafflesiana that relies on insects, but both species show upregulation of enzyme activity in response to faeces and insect feeding. Contrary to expectations, the final nepenthesin proteolytic activity in the digestive fluid is higher in response to faeces addition than to insect prey, indicating that faeces can mimic arthropod prey triggering the production of digestive enzymes and N. hemsleyana retained capacity for production of them.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
En-Shyh Lin, Cheng-Yang Huang
Summary: The leaf extract of Nepenthes miranda showed potential cytotoxic and enzyme inhibitory effects, indicating its pharmacological potential for medical applications.
Article
Biology
Anne-Kristin Lenz, Ulrike Bauer
Summary: Carnivorous pitcher plants, such as Nepenthes gracilis, use raindrop impact energy to trigger a fast pivoting motion of the pitcher lid, capturing insects. Our study revealed distinct deformation patterns in the lid-trapping N. gracilis and pitfall-trapping N. rafflesiana, suggesting an anisotropic impact response that maximizes prey capture forces and dampens oscillation. The results highlight the importance of pitcher geometry in the effective trapping mechanism of N. gracilis.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andrej Pavlovic, Ondrej Kocab
Summary: The pitcher traps of Nepenthes species contain a high amount of AOX enzyme and a low amount of COX II enzyme, but have lower abundance of photosynthesis-related proteins. This finding reveals the important role of AOX in the traps.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camila T. M. N. Porfirio, Pedro F. N. Souza, Marcio V. Ramos, Francisco A. P. Campos, Samuel F. Freitas, Joao P. B. Oliveira, Gilvan P. Furtado, Jose S. S. Barbosa, Thalia L. Frota, Celso S. Nagano, Rodolpho G. G. Silva, Ghulam Hussain, Cleverson D. T. Freitas
Summary: This study partially characterized three serine carboxypeptidases from Nepenthes mirabilis and further analyzed one peptidase in terms of its allergenic potential. The results showed that these enzymes have similar structures and mechanisms to other plant serine peptidases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Angga Yudaputra, Inggit Puji Astuti, Tri Handayani, Hartutiningsih Siregar, Iyan Robiansyah, Sri Wahyuni, Arief Noor Rachmadiyanto, Danang Wahyu Purnomo, Vandra Kurniawan, Yupi Isnaini, Frisca Damayanti, Rizmoon Nurul Zulkarnaen, Joko Ridho Witono, Izu Andry Fijridiyanto, Arief Hidayat, Mustaid Siregar, Esti Munawaroh, Fitriany Amalia P. Wardhani, Puguh Dwi Raharjo, Ana Widiana, Wendell Cropper Jr
Summary: It has been 23 years since the conservation status of highland tropical pitcher plant Nepenthes talangensis was assessed in 2000. Existing threats may increase the risk of extinction for the species, and a better understanding of its ecology and conservation needs is necessary. Information on population distributions, ecological requirements, priority conservation areas, climate impact, and population structure is crucial for assessing extinction risks and securing the species.
Article
Microbiology
Jacob J. Grothjan, Erica B. Young
Summary: This study investigated the recruitment processes of bacteria to plant microbiomes, focusing on the pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea. The results showed that the host plant tissue plays a significant role in shaping the bacterial community within the pitchers, and the plant supports the microbiome through capturing insect prey.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Franziska Saul, Mathias Scharmann, Takanori Wakatake, Sitaram Rajaraman, Andre Marques, Matthias Freund, Gerhard Bringmann, Louisa Channon, Dirk Becker, Emily Carroll, Yee Wen Low, Charlotte Lindqvist, Kadeem J. Gilbert, Tanya Renner, Sachiko Masuda, Michaela Richter, Gerd Vogg, Ken Shirasu, Todd P. Michael, Rainer Hedrich, Victor A. Albert, Kenji Fukushima
Summary: Subgenome dominance plays an important role in evolutionary novelty. A study on the Asian pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis revealed a decaploid karyotype and subgenome dominance. The recessive subgenome on the putative sex chromosome contains transcription factors involved in flower and pollen development, indicating neofunctionalization. The paleopolyploidization events led to the formation of gene clusters with specific expression in the digestive zone of the pitcher. Subgenome dominance facilitates evolutionary innovation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Martin Dancak, Lubos Majesky, Vaclav Cermak, Michal R. Golos, Bartosz J. Plachno, Wewin Tjiasmanto
Summary: Nepenthes pudica is a newly discovered species in North Kalimantan, Indonesia. It has unique characteristics such as underground shoots and ventricose lower pitchers. It feeds mainly on ants and other soil-dwelling invertebrates and grows at high elevations on ridgetops. The discovery of this new species highlights the natural richness of Borneo's rainforest and the importance of preserving this ecosystem.
Review
Biology
Ulrike Bauer, Ulrike K. Mueller, Simon Poppinga
Summary: Both animals and plants have evolved mechanisms for elastic energy storage and release to power rapid motion, but they have been studied in isolation due to lack of consistent terminology and conceptual frameworks. Carnivorous plants, with their fast movements, serve as important models for studying biomechanics, development, evolution, and ecology. There is a fundamental trade-off between energetic investment and movement control in traps used by carnivorous plants, which vary considerably in trapping structures and processes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yen-Hua Huang, Wei-Yu Chiang, Pin-Jui Chen, En-Shyh Lin, Cheng-Yang Huang
Summary: In this study, the antioxidant and anticancer properties of Sarracenia purpurea extracts from different parts of the plant were investigated. The root extract obtained using acetone showed the highest anticancer activities and antioxidant capacity. The combination of the root extract with the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil exhibited efficient inhibition of breast cancer cells. The root extract also showed potential as an inhibitor of human dihydroorotase, an enzyme involved in cancer chemotherapy.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kadeem J. Gilbert, Thibaut Goldsborough, Weng Ngai Lam, Felicia Leong, Naomi E. Pierce
Summary: This study investigates the natural variation in pH and dissolved mineral concentrations in tropical pitcher plants, and reveals correlations between fluid properties and pitcher traits. N. gracilis and N. rafflesiana show distinct patterns in fluid pH and dissolved mineral levels, while N. ampullaria exhibits less variation in fluid pH.
JOURNAL OF PLANT INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aswani Ravi, Mary Theresa, Vipina Vinod Thazhe Nandayipurath, Sukanya Rajan, Nejumal Kannankeril Khalid, Aravindakumar Charuvilaputhenveedu Thankappanpillai, Radhakrishnan Edayileveettil Krishnankutty
Summary: Pitchers of carnivorous plants are unique structures used for trapping insects and other small invertebrates, assisted by bacterial communities that have beneficial functions for plants. The bacterial isolate NhPBG1 from Nepenthes hamblack pitcher shows inhibitory activity against various phytopathogens and positive plant beneficial traits. Pre-treatment with NhPBG1 protects Zingiber officinale rhizome from pathogenic infection, with metabolite profiling revealing antifungal compounds pyocyanin and 1-hydroxyphenazine.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rosella Spina, Sahar Saliba, Francois Dupire, Agata Ptak, Alain Hehn, Severine Piutti, Sophie Poinsignon, Sebastien Leclerc, Sabine Bouguet-Bonnet, Dominique Laurain-Mattar
Summary: The study found that Bacillus sp. isolated from Leucojum aestivum bulblets can synthesize primary and specialized metabolites in common with the L. aestivum plant, including important alkaloids such as Amaryllidaceae alkaloids.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Yuka Munakata, Carole Gavira, Julie Genestier, Frederic Bourgaud, Alain Hehn, Sophie Slezack-Deschaumes
Summary: This study investigated bacterial endophytic communities from vetiver roots originating from 5 different geographic locations across Europe and Africa. The results showed that geographical location influenced the composition and abundance of root endophyte communities in vetiver. Some endophytic bacteria demonstrated strong inhibitory activity against Fusarium graminearum, suggesting their potential as biocontrol agents.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Izabela Perkowska, Joanna Siwinska, Alexandre Olry, Jeremy Grosjean, Alain Hehn, Frederic Bourgaud, Ewa Lojkowska, Anna Ihnatowicz
Summary: Coumarins are plant phytochemicals induced by stress factors, known for their beneficial properties and importance in pharmaceutical industry. Natural variation in coumarin content in Arabidopsis populations suggests potential for discovering physiological mechanisms involved in their biosynthesis.
Article
Plant Sciences
Cloe Villard, Ryosuke Munakata, Sakihito Kitajima, Robin van Velzen, Michael Eric Schranz, Romain Larbat, Alain Hehn
Summary: Furanocoumarins are phytoalexins used as an example of the arms race between plants and herbivorous insects, synthesized through a similar pathway in different plant lineages. In the fig tree, a new cytochrome P450, CYP76F112, was identified as catalyzing a unique reaction, suggesting recent emergence within the Moraceae family through lineage-specific expansion and diversification. This discovery opens new possibilities for utilizing the furanocoumarin pathway and highlights the potential of cytochromes P450 to evolve new functions for plant adaptation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryosuke Munakata, Alexandre Olry, Tomoya Takemura, Kanade Tatsumi, Takuji Ichino, Cloe Villard, Joji Kageyama, Tetsuya Kurata, Masaru Nakayasu, Florence Jacob, Takao Koeduka, Hirobumi Yamamoto, Eiko Moriyoshi, Tetsuya Matsukawa, Jeremy Grosjean, Celia Krieger, Akifumi Sugiyama, Masaharu Mizutani, Frederic Bourgaud, Alain Hehn, Kazufumi Yazaki
Summary: Plants produce around 300 aromatic compounds enzymatically linked to prenyl side chains via C-O bonds, some of which can impact human health. The discovery of aromatic O-PT genes in plants like grapefruit and Angelica keiskei sheds light on the evolution of plant secondary metabolites. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that aromatic O-prenylation activity evolved independently from the same ancestral gene in distant plant taxa.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Armin Horn, Arnaud Pascal, Isidora Loncarevic, Raissa Volpatto Marques, Yi Lu, Sissi Miguel, Frederic Bourgaud, Margret Thorsteinsdottir, Nils Cronberg, Joerg D. Becker, Ralf Reski, Henrik T. Simonsen
Summary: Research on plant-derived natural products, particularly from bryophytes, has been gaining attention due to the discovery of interesting bioactive compounds with potential biotechnological applications. Bryophytes, as the second largest group of plants in terms of species number, offer a high degree of biochemical complexity and genetic diversity, allowing them to thrive in various harsh habitats. The study of bryophytes has opened doors to functional genomics approaches and the disentanglement of biosynthetic pathways, as well as the potential for biotechnological exploitation of novel chemicals from these plants.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Raissa Volpatto Marques, Agnes Guillaumin, Ahmed B. Abdelwahab, Aleksander Salwinski, Charlotte H. Gotfredsen, Frederic Bourgaud, Kasper Enemark-Rasmussen, Sissi Miguel, Henrik Toft Simonsen
Summary: The study analyzed the inhibitory properties of extracts from Polytrichum formosum on collagenase and tyrosinase activity, identifying new compounds with potential as inhibitors for these enzymes.
Article
Microbiology
Yuka Munakata, Egon Heuson, Theo Daboudet, Barbara Deracinois, Matthieu Duban, Alain Hehn, Francois Coutte, Sophie Slezack-Deschaumes
Summary: The study found that endophytic bacteria affiliated with Bacillus, Janthinobacterium, Yokenella, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Microbacterium have antifungal and antibacterial activities, and can produce lipopeptides which have potential pharmaceutical and agricultural value.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carole Gavira, Francoise Watteau, Jean-Marc Laine, Frederic Bourgaud, Laurent Legendre
Summary: This study investigated the cultivation of vetiver under soilless high-pressure aeroponics (HPA) and found that the HPA-grown plants showed stunted growth, abnormal root morphology, and impaired accumulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ultrastructural analyses revealed altered root ontogeny and reduced accumulation of essential oil that prevent EO accumulation in HPA-cultivated vetiver.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Raissa Volpatto Marques, Stefania Enza Sestito, Frederic Bourgaud, Sissi Miguel, Frederic Cailotto, Pascal Reboul, Jean-Yves Jouzeau, Sophie Rahuel-Clermont, Sandrine Boschi-Muller, Henrik Toft Simonsen, David Moulin
Summary: The study found that the biologically active extracts of Dicranum majus and Thuidium delicatulum exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects, potentially serving as a perspective for developing innovative therapeutic agents.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emilie Velot, Florent Ducrocq, Loic Girardeau, Alain Hehn, Severine Piutti, Cyril Kahn, Michel Linder, Arnaud Bianchi, Elmira Arab-Tehrany
Summary: The study explores the potential of hop extract from coproducts as a therapeutic agent for alleviating inflammation in human chondrocytes. Encapsulation of the extract in nanoliposomes enhances its anti-inflammatory effect and may improve joint inflammation in osteoarthritis. These findings suggest the possibility of a zero waste chain in hop cultivation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yuka Munakata, Rosella Spina, Sophie Slezack-Deschaumes, Julie Genestier, Alain Hehn, Dominique Laurain-Mattar
Summary: This study discovered different endophytic bacteria in Leucojum aestivum, some of which can produce alkaloids and have the potential to be used as biocontrol agents against wheat pathogens. These endophytic bacteria might also have a positive effect on plant growth.