Host-mediated volatile polymorphism in a parasitic plant influences its attractiveness to pollinators

Host-plants can mediate the interactions between herbivores and their mutualists and also between parasitic plants and their mutualists. The present study reveals how a hemiparasitic plant parasitizing three host species gives rise to three distinct hemiparasite-host neighborhoods which differ in terms of volatile composition and pollinator attractiveness. The study was performed in a population of the mistletoe Tristerix verticillatus infecting three different species of hosts occurring in sympatry within a small area, thus exposing all individuals studied to similar abiotic conditions and pollinator diversity; we assessed the effect of hosts on the hemiparasites’ visual and olfactory cues for pollinator attraction. During the study period, the hemiparasite individuals were flowering but the hosts were past their flowering stage. We collected volatile organic compounds from the hemiparasite and its hosts, measured floral display characteristics and monitored bird and insect visitors to inflorescences of T. verticillatus. We showed that: (1) floral patches did not differ in terms of floral display potentially involved in the attraction of pollinators, (2) hosts and hemiparasites on each host were discriminated as distinct chemical populations in terms of their volatile chemical profiles, (3) insect visitation rates differed between hemiparasites parasitizing different hosts, and (4) volatile compounds from the host and the hemiparasite influenced the visitation of hemiparasite flowers by insects. The study showed that a species regarded as “ornithophilic” by its floral morphology was actually mostly visited by insects that interacted with its sexual organs during their visits and carried its pollen, and that host-specific plant-volatile profiles within the T. verticillatus population were associated with differential attractiveness to pollinating insects.     

Host-hemiparasite transfer of the C-glucosyl xanthone mangiferin between Mangifera indica and Dendrophthoe falcata

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that higher antioxidant potential of hemiparasitic plants is due to sequestration of phenolic compounds from the host plants, samples of Dendrophthoe falcata, a hemiparasite collected from different hosts, were investigated for total phenolics, total flavonoids and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. The hosts significantly influenced the phenolic content of the hemiparasite. However, similar influence was not detected on radical scavenging activity and no correlation was found in the phenolics and free radical scavenging activities. Further investigation on transfer of constituents revealed that D. falcata sample obtained from a host, Mangifera indica, contained mangiferin, a C-glucosyl xanthone, and some unidentified flavonoids as confirmed by HPTLC flavonoid patterns. The data indicated that the hosts significantly affected total phenolics and total flavonoids in a hemiparasite. This is the first report of transfer of mangiferin from M. indica to a hemiparasite. The present report points towards the need of further investigations on the possible role of transferred phenolics either as mediators of host defense, host defense compounds utilized as cues of identification of the host by the hemiparasite or compounds taken up by the parasites to support their defense against rejection by the hosts.     

The effect of host mycorrhizal status on host plant–parasitic plant interactions

Two pot experiments were conducted to examine three-level interactions between host plants, mycorrhizal fungi and parasitic plants. In a greenhouse experiment, Poa annua plants were grown in the presence or absence of an AM fungus (either Glomus lamellosum V43a or G. mosseae BEG29) and in the presence or absence of a root hemiparasitic plant (Odontites vulgaris). In a laboratory experiment, mycorrhizal infection (Glomus claroideum BEG31) of Trifolium pratense host plants (mycorrhizal versus non-mycorrhizal) was combined with hemiparasite infection (Rhinanthus serotinus) of the host (parasitized versus non-parasitized). Infection with the two species of Glomus had no significant effect on the growth of P. annua, while hemiparasite infection caused a significant reduction in host biomass. Mycorrhizal status of P. annua hosts (i.e. presence/absence of AM fungus) affected neither the biomass nor the number of flowers produced by the attached O. vulgaris plants. Infection with G. claroideum BEG31 greatly increased the biomass of T. pratense, but hemiparasite infection had no effect. The hemiparasitic R. serotinus plants attached to mycorrhizal hosts had higher biomass and produced more flowers than plants growing with non-mycorrhizal hosts. Roots of T. pratense were colonized by the AM fungus to an extent independent of the presence or absence of the hemiparasite. Our results confirm earlier findings that the mycorrhizal status of a host plant can affect the performance of an attached root hemiparasite. However, improvement of the performance of the parasitic plant following attachment to a mycorrhizal host depends on the extent to which the AM fungi is able to enhance the growth of the host. Accepted: 23 February 2001     

Irritancy and anti-inflammatory activity of bis(eta 5-cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV) complexes in rats

Dichloro-bis(eta 5-cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV) and some related complexes were compared with cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) in rats for acute anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan paw oedema, anti-arthritic activity against developing and established adjuvant-induced polyarthritis, immunosuppressant activity in a local graft-vs. host assay, irritant effects at sites of administration (paw, skin, peritoneum) and nephro- and gastro-toxicities. These titanium complexes, like cisplatin and its hydrolysis products, in vivo exhibited both anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity as well as immunosuppressant effects. Nephro- and gastro-toxicity were much less severe than in rats given platinum complexes. In vitro they selectively inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation by isolated thymocytes and prevented the germination of radish seeds. When given intraperitoneally, the anti-inflammatory activity may partly be due to a counter-irritant phenomenon since the titanium derivatives elicited an acute peritoneal effusion if they were injected towards the omentum. However, when injected subcutaneously or applied in dimethylformamide or dimethylsulfoxide to the skin, they manifested both anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity without irritancy or much local skin damage. They might therefore have the potential of being useful drugs, especially if released slowly.     

Study on potato virus M (PVM) occurrence in potato fields in Iran

57 native potato tuber samples collected from different potato growing region of Iran, planted on single rows in Karaj College experimental station. Plant samples of each single row plus 9.25 Fresh foliage samples collected from fields under new introduced cultivars were tested for potato virus (PVM) infection during growing season. Also 78 weeds and field crops belonging to Solonacae and Leguminosae from or neighboring to potato field were tested. Results indicated that PVM was not found on any plant other than potatoes. PVM was detected on 16 samples of 57 old vars, Virus was not seen in any samples collected from fields under new varieties. Results show that PVM is limiting in this crop. PVM detecting is difficult using assay hosts. Best test plants were French bean var Red kidney, Showing pinpoint necrotic LL, also Datura metel and Nicotiana debneyi are useful for virus detection showing chlorotic local lesion. Also microprecipition and gel diffusion test can be used for virus detection but Elisa was the best method. PVM infected plant showed 11-19.5 percent yield decrease in 3 cultivars tested.     

Molecular fingerprinting of Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser growing on five different hosts by RAPD

Mistletoes are hemiparasitic plants growing on aerial parts of other host trees. Many of the mistletoes are reported to be medicinally important. The hemiparasitic nature of these plants makes their chemical composition dependent on the host on which it grows. They are shown to exhibit morphological dissimilarities also when growing on different hosts. Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser (mango mistletoe) is one such less explored medicinal mistletoe found on almost every mango tree in India. Traditionally, the leaves of this plant are used for checking abortion and for removing stones in the kidney and urinary bladder while significant antioxidant and antimicrobial properties are also attributed to this species of mistletoe. The current study was undertaken to evaluate molecular differences in the genomic DNA of the plant while growing on five different host trees using four random markers employing random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) followed by similarity matrix by Jaccard’s coefficient and distance matrix by hierarchal clustering analysis. Similarity and distance matrix data employing just 4 random markers, separately and the pooled data as well, revealed significant difference in the genomic DNA of H. elastica growing on five different hosts. Pooled data of similarity from all the 4 primers cumulatively showed similarity between 0.256 and 0.311. Distance matrix ranged from of 0.256 to 0.281 on pooling the data from all the four primers. The result employing a minimum number of primers could conclude that genomic DNA of H. elastica differs depending upon the host on which it grows, hence the host must be considered while studying or utilizing this mistletoe for medicinal purposes.     

Effects of drought and N level on the interactions of the root hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus with a combination of three host species

• Increasing nitrogen deposition and more frequent drought events are likely to change plant interactions in natural grasslands. Both factors may also influence the interactions between hemiparasitic plants, regarded as keystone species in many grasslands, and their host species.
• We grew a combination of three suitable hosts, a grass, a forb and a legume, with and without the hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus at three levels of nitrogen (N) and two levels of water availability in a factorial design.
• Biomass of the hemiparasite and host community increased with N level and was reduced by drought to a similar degree. Larger plants in fertilised pots started to wilt earlier, and the presence of a hemiparasite further increased drought sensitivity. The hemiparasite strongly reduced biomass of the host community and overall productivity, and affected the competitive balance among host plants because it particularly reduced biomass of the dominant grass. These effects were the opposite of those of high N. The hemiparasite increased the root mass fraction of the hosts at all levels of N and water availability, indicating that the effect of the hemiparasite on the hosts was mainly due to loss of belowground resources.
• Our results indicate that hemiparasites will not always respond more strongly to increased N availability and drought than autotrophic plants, and that hemiparasites can have similarly strong effects on grassland communities as soil fertility and drought. By preferentially attacking dominant species the hemiparasites might alleviate the negative effects of nutrient enrichment on grassland diversity.

     

美国白蛾丝素蛋白基因的鉴定、时空表达及取食不同寄主植物后的表达响应

美国白蛾Hyphantria cunea Drury被列为我国林业检疫性害虫,其l～4龄幼虫具有吐丝结网幕的习性.为探究丝素蛋白基因的表达特性,本研究利用PCR技术克隆了美国白蛾的HcP25(Genbank登录号:OL625670)、HcFib-H(Genbank登录号:OL625672)、HcFib-L(Genbank登录号:OL625671)3条丝素蛋白基因,并进行生物信息学分析;利用RT-qPCR技术检测美国白蛾3条丝素蛋白基因的表达特性.结果表明:3条丝素蛋白基因序列比对均与车前灯蛾Arctia plantaginis丝素蛋白一致性最高,系统进化分析显示丝素蛋白HcP25、HcFib-H、HcFib-L在鳞翅目不同科之间在出现较大的分化.RT-qPCR试验结果显示HcP25、HcFib-H、HcFib-L 3基因相对表达量与网幕产生高峰期(1龄、2龄)相一致.3种丝素蛋白均在丝腺中特异性高水平表达,在头部及脂肪体中有少量表达.美国白蛾幼虫取食不同寄主植物后,3种丝素蛋白基因呈现不同的表达规律;取食杨树Populus L.处理组中HcP25与HcFib-H基因相对表达量极显著高于取食其它寄主处理,而取食山樱花Cerasus serrulata var.lannesiana和日本晚樱Cerasus serrulata处理组中HcFib-L基因表达量最高.研究结果为进一步探究丝素蛋白介导的美国白蛾对不同寄主的适应机制及其扩散机制奠定基础,也为开发美国白蛾防治新方法提供了潜在的基因靶标.     

Host Associations of the Introduced Annual Root Hemiparasite Parentucellia viscosa in Agricultural and Bushland Settings in Western Australia

Populations of the introduced annual root hemiparasite, Parentucelliaviscosa (L.) Caruel (Scrophulariaceae), were examined in habitatswhere introduced, mixed introduced plus native, or solely nativespecies provided potential hosts. Presence of haustoria on hostroots confirmed parasitism of 17 introduced and ten native taxaacross the sites investigated. Paired plots, one with all hostsremoved early in the season, the other left intact, showed overallincreases in shoot dry matter of the parasites over 3 monthsof growth. Results indicated a substantial growth benefit tothe parasite from continued access to introduced and indigenousplant species, although the parasite continued growing to alimited extent after removal of hosts. Carbon isotope discriminationvalues (     

The role of local adaptation in the relationship between an endangered root hemiparasite Euphrasia rostkoviana, and its host, Agrostis capillaris

We experimentally studied the role of local adaptation and the co-evolutionary relationship between an annual, endangered root hemiparasite Euphrasia rostkoviana and its main host Agrostis capillaris. According to our hypothesis, the existence of local adaptation in hemiparasites should be observable in better hemiparasite performance when attached to A. capillaris hosts originating From Euphrasia populations. After one month of growth, the height and the number of leaves of hemiparasites were not affected by the origin of their hosts. The differences in growth were due to between population effects. The situation remained constant after three months. Hemiparasite biomass was not affected by the origin of the hosts. The percentage of hemiparasites surviving after one. two and three months was not affected by the origin of the hosts although there was a weak tendency towards better survival of hemiparasites with familiar hosts than with unfamiliar hosts. All variables used to measure hemiparasite performance during its complete life-cycle gave only limited support for the local adaptation hypothesis. Nevertheless, the familiar hosts suffered less from parasitism as indicated by their higher biomass after the experiment. This suggests that there may be some interactions between hemiparasites and their hosts based on their spatial population structure and common history as competitors.     

Multiple choice: hemiparasite performance in multi‐species mixtures

Hemiparasitic plants have green leaves, but extract water and solutes from neighbouring plants. It is still poorly understood how different host plants in communities contribute to parasite performance, as species that are good hosts in single‐host experiments may not necessarily be preferred hosts in mixtures. We grew the root hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus (Orobanchaceae) together with each of 13 host species (experiment 1) and with 15 different four‐species mixtures of these hosts (experiment 2) that differed in the number of legumes and of host functional groups. Parasites profited from mixtures including more legumes and from mixtures including different host functional groups. Some host species and mixtures were very tolerant of parasitism and supported large parasites without being strongly suppressed in their own growth, but the suppression of a species in the single‐host experiment did not explain the suppression of a species in a host mixture. We thus calculated for each host species an index of the difference in suppression between the two experiments which may be related to host use in a mixture. Host quality (mean parasite biomass with a host species) in the single‐host experiment could explain 64% of the variation in parasite biomass with a host mixture when it was weighted by the proportion of the host species in the mixture without the parasite and by the suppression difference index. Our results suggest that plant species which are the best hosts in single‐host experiments are not always those used most strongly by a parasite growing with a mixture. Together with the finding that hemiparasites benefit from a mixed diet based on hosts from different functional groups this suggests that parasites prefer certain host species to obtain a mixed diet.     

Interactive effects of mycorrhizae and a root hemiparasite on plant community productivity and diversity

Plant communities can be affected both by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and hemiparasitic plants. However, little is known about the interactive effects of these two biotic factors on the productivity and diversity of plant communities. To address this question, we set up a greenhouse study in which different AMF inocula and a hemiparasitic plant (Rhinanthus minor) were added to experimental grassland communities in a fully factorial design. In addition, single plants of each species in the grassland community were grown with the same treatments to distinguish direct AMF effects from indirect effects via plant competition. We found that AMF changed plant community structure by influencing the plant species differently. At the community level, AMF decreased the productivity by 15–24%, depending on the particular AMF treatment, mainly because two dominant species, Holcus lanatus and Plantago lanceolata, showed a negative mycorrhizal dependency. Concomitantly, plant diversity increased due to AMF inoculation and was highest in the treatment with a combination of two commercial AM strains. AMF had a positive effect on growth of the hemiparasite, and thereby induced a negative impact of the hemiparasite on host plant biomass which was not found in non-inoculated communities. However, the hemiparasite did not increase plant diversity. Our results highlight the importance of interactions with soil microbes for plant community structure and that these indirect effects can vary among AMF treatments. We conclude that mutualistic interactions with AMF, but not antagonistic interactions with a root hemiparasite, promote plant diversity in this grassland community. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Effects of climate change on parasitic plants: the root hemiparasiticOrobanchaceae

Climate change may affect hemisparasiticOrobanchaceae (ex-Scrophulariaceae) both directly through impacts on hemiparasite physiology and indirectly through impacts on host plants. This dual action suggests particular sensitivity of the parasite to climate change and any associated impacts on hosts and other members of the community. While little research has addressed the responses of parasitic plants to climate change in natural environments, impacts are predicted from controlled environment studies together with a knowledge of the key ecophysiological traits of hemiparasiticOrobanchaceae, in particular ofStriga species, which are important weeds in semi-arid tropical agro-ecosystems, andRhinanthus species, which can be important components of (principally) grassland communities in the northern temperate zone. The main mode of important components of (principally) grassland communities in the northern temperate zone. The main mode of action of both elevated CO₂ and warming will be through changes in photosynthesis and stomatal functioning. Enhanced photosynthesis of the hemiparasite and host will increase parasite carbon gains but may also increase the demand for host mineral nutrients. Mineral nutrition may, therefore, mediate the impacts of climate change on host-parasite associations. The relative insensitivity of hemiparasite stomata to elevated CO₂ suggests that high stomatal conductances may be maintained and thus solute uptake may become limited by soil drying driven by higher rates of evapotranspiration and reduced precipitation. Climate change impacts on host-parasite interactions at the individual level will ultimately affect hemiparasite impacts at the community level. Community impacts will be greatest where climate change considerably favours hemiparasite populations or, conversely, causes them to disappear from communities where they were formerly abundant. Impacts will further be mediated by climate impacts on hosts, and the natural enemies of hosts and parasites alike. Further, the wide host range of many root hemiparasitic plants may facilitate migration of their populations through new communities under a changing climate.     

Changes in Cry1Ac Bt transgenic cotton in response to two environmental factors: temperature and insect damage

The efficacy of Cry1Ac Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton plants against field populations of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) has been inconsistent over the growing season. Any reduction in efficacy (where efficacy is the capacity of the plant to affect the survival of the insect) increases the opportunities for H. armigera to evolve resistance to Bt toxin. Changes in efficacy could be due to changes at the level of gene expression and/or in the physiological makeup of the plant and may be induced by environmental conditions. Two environmental factors, temperature and insect damage, were investigated. Temperature was found to affect efficacy, whether plants were grown at different temperatures continuously or were exposed to a change in temperature for a short period. Damage caused by chewing insects (H. armigera larvae) produced a dramatic increase in the efficacy of presquare Bt cotton. In contrast, damage by sucking insects (aphids) did not induce changes in efficacy. Changes in efficacy seemed to be mediated through modification of the physiological background of the plant rather than changes in the level of Cry1Ac expression or in the concentration of the Bt toxin. The impact of the non-Bt responses of plants on strains of H. armigera should be evaluated. It is possible that by enhancing existing defensive mechanisms of plants, the rate of evolution of resistance to Bt toxins could be retarded by increasing the plants overall toxicity through the additive effects of the toxins and plant defenses.     

Characterisation of extracellular vesicles isolated from hydatid cyst fluid and evaluation of immunomodulatory effects on human monocytes

Hydatidosis is a disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, which involves several organs of intermediate hosts. Evidence suggests a communication between hydatid cyst (HC) and hosts via extracellular vesicles. However, a little is known about the communication between EVs derived from HC fluid (HCF) and host cells. In the current study, EVs were isolated using differential centrifugation from sheep HCF and characterized by western blot, electron microscope and size distribution analysis. The uptake of EVs by human monocyte cell line (THP-1) was evaluated. The effects of EVs on the expression levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were investigated using quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR), 3 and 24 h after incubation. Moreover, the cytokine level of IL-10 was evaluated in supernatant of THP-1 cell line at 3 and 24 h. EVs were successfully isolated and showed spherical shape with size distribution at 130.6 nm. After 3 h, the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes (IL1Β, IL15 and IL8) were upregulated, while after 24 h, the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were decreased and IL13 gene expression showed upregulation. A statistically significant increase was seen in the levels of IL-10 after 24 h. The main mechanism of the communication between EVs derived from HCF and their host remains unclear; however, time-dependent anti-inflammatory effects in our study suggest that HC may modulate the immune responses via EVs.     

Serological diagnosis and host range studies of important viral diseases of a few cucurbitaceous crops in Maharashtra,India

Around 39 well characterised viruses affect cucurbits crops in developing countries and their viral diversity may be the consequence for genetic and ecological diversity of their hosts. Indeed, cucurbits are grown in variety of climatic, environmental and agricultural conditions, and this may provide more or less favourable conditions for the specific viruses or their hosts. The presence of various viral diseases caused by different viruses in Maharashtra was studied from the infected samples collected from cucurbits and melons during the survey conducted in 2009–2010 in different locations. The virus isolates collected from various cucurbitaceous crops were established and their host ranges were studied by sap transmission. The study revealed Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) and Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus infections predominately found in Nashik region, and Watermelon bud necrosis virus (WBNV), CMV, ZYMV, WMV and Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV) infections in Aurangabad and Paithan regions. In Sangamner region, the crop was mostly affected by WBNV, ZYMV and WSMoV, and CMV was found only in Sillod region. The protocols for performing sap transmission tests in assay hosts were standardised for ZYMV, CMV and WBNV. Using direct antigen-coating enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, of all the plant parts, young leaves were found to have high concentration of virus and suitable for virus detection in screening programmes. CMV and ZYMV was found to have high concentration of virus and suitable for virus detection in screening programmes.     

Proteases in pathogenesis and plant defence

Plant pathogens deliver a variety of virulence factors to host cells to suppress basal defence responses and create suitable environments for their propagation. Plants have in turn evolved disease resistance genes whose products detect the virulence factors as a signal of invasion and activate effective defence responses. Understanding how a virulence effector contributes to virulence on susceptible hosts but becomes an avirulence factor that triggers defence responses on resistance hosts has been a major focus in plant research. Recent studies have shown that a growing list of pathogen-encoded effectors functions as proteases that are secreted into plant cells to modify host proteins. In addition, several plant proteases have been found to function in activation of the defence mechanism. These findings reveal that post-translational modification of host proteins through proteolytic processing is a widely used mechanism in regulating the plant defence response.