Coproduction and ecological significance of naphthoquinones in carnivorous sundews (Drosera).
Chem Biodivers
; 9(6): 1033-44, 2012 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22700223
ABSTRACT
While the 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives 7-methyljuglone (1) and plumbagin (2) possess a diverse and well documented array of biological activities, relatively little remains known about the functional significance of these compounds in planta and, in particular, their possible relation to carnivorous syndromes. In addition, the chemotaxonomic distribution of naphthoquinones (NQs) amongst species of Drosera L. is of phytopharmaceutical interest. Following the quantitative assessment of interspecific variation of 1 and 2 in 13 species and cultivars of Drosera, our findings demonstrate that these NQs are ubiquitously coproduced in, generally, species-specific ratios, and that 1 appears negatively associated with the occurrence of pigmentation in sundews. The prospective antifeedant function of 1 was evaluated in relation to allocation in various organs and ontogenetic phases of D. capensis L., revealing that significantly higher levels were accumulated in young and reproductive organs, most likely for defensive purposes. Investigation into the relationship between the biosynthesis of NQs and carnivory showed that production of 1 is optimally induced and localized in leaves in response to capture of insect prey. As a whole, these findings reveal the clear importance of this secondary metabolite in ecological interactions as well as holding implication for future bioactivity studies on the genus.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Naftoquinonas
/
Drosera
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Chem Biodivers
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article