Insect-feeding induced nitrile biosynthesis from amino acids in plants

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24780114
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Bioproduction chemistry/Bioorganic chemistry
• Research Institution: Akita Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: NOGE Koji 秋田県立大学, 生物資源科学部, 助教 (40423008)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ニトリル / 生合成 / アミノ酸代謝 / 昆虫食害 / ジャスモン酸 / 誘導抵抗反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Plants are known to produce various secondary metabolites. Of these metabolites, nitrile formation as an end product is uncommon in plants and information about its biological roles and biosynthesis is limited. I found two plant species, Fallopia sachalinensis and Oenothera parviflora, emit nitriles when they are infested by herbivores. Using this induction response, the biosynthetic pathway of plant nitrile was determined. I found that nitriles are synthesized from their corresponding amino acids via aldoximes and that production of the precursor amino acids is also induced by insect-feeding and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). There were some proteins induced by MeJA in plant leaves, but the enzymes involved in nitrile production have not yet been fully defined in this study. Isovaleronitrile found from the infested O. parviflora leaves was identified as an attractant for a natural enemy of herbivores.

Free Research Field

生物有機化学