Plantas com ação no sistema nervoso central que constam na relação nacional de plantas medicinais de interesse ao sus (RENISUS) / Plants acting on the central nervous system: review plantas com ação no sistema nervoso central que constam na relação nacional de plantas medicinais de interesse ao sus (RENISUS) / Plantas con acción sobre el sistema nervioso central incluidas en la lista nacional de plantas medicinales de interés para sus (RENISUS)

A depressão é uma doença grave que atinge a população em geral, estudos epidemiológicos estimam que a prevalência da depressão ao longo da vida no Brasil está em torno de 15,5%. Os fatores que desencadeiam o aparecimento da depressão incluem fatores sociais, psicológicos, biológicos e também fatores externos específicos como eventos estressantes, solidão, consumo de álcool e drogas, doenças crônicas e dar á luz (depressão pós-parto). O objetivo da presente pesquisa consistiu em realizar uma revisão bibliográfica sobre as principais plantas medicinais com ação antidepressiva. A ansiedade vem se tornando um dos principais problemas da atualidade, sendo intensificada pela pandemia causada pelo coronavírus, onde constatou-se que durante o pico da pandemia onde os casos confirmados de COVID-19 no Brasil ascenderam de 45.757 para 330.890, e as mortes, de 2.906 para 21.048, o sentimento de tristeza/depressão atingiu 40% dos adultos brasileiros. Os sintomas de depressão podem ser amenizados quando a disponibilidade sináptica de monoaminas são aumentadas, e esse aumento pode ocorrer através da diminuição da metabolização desses neurotransmissores. Neste sentido, busca-se através da farmacoterapia a utilização de antidepressivos que disponibilizem as monoaminas na fenda sináptica. A escolha do fármaco é feita com base nos sintomas da depressão e na boa resposta a uma determinada classe de antidepressivos. Em fevereiro de 2009 o Ministério da saúde lançou a Relação Nacional de Plantas Medicinais de Interesse ao SUS (RENISUS), contendo 71 espécies vegetais que são distribuídas de forma in natura nas unidades básicas de saúde (UBS). Destas, somente três espécies apresentam efeito antidepressivo e ansiolítico comprovados na literatura sendo Matricharia chamomilla, Erytrinum mulungu e a Passiflora incarnata que também fazem parte da RENISUS. Além destas, outras espécies como a Melissa officinalis, Lippia alba, Valeriana officinalis e Piper methysticum são utilizadas pela população para tratar ansiedade, insônia e depressão, sugerindo desta forma que estas espécies sejam incluídas na RENISUS.

Depression is a serious disease that affects the general population, epidemiological studies estimate that the prevalence of depression throughout life in Brazil is around 15.5%. The factors that trigger the onset of depression include social, psychological, biological and also specific external factors such as stressful events, loneliness, alcohol and drug consumption, chronic diseases and giving birth (postpartum depression). The objective of the present research was to carry out a literature review on the main medicinal plants with antidepressant action. Anxiety has become one of the main problems of today, being intensified by the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, where it was found that during the peak of the pandemic where confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Brazil rose from 45,757 to 330,890, and deaths, from 2,906 to 21,048, the feeling of sadness/depression reached 40% of Brazilian adults. Symptoms of depression can be alleviated when synaptic availability of monoamines is increased, and this increase can occur through decreased metabolization of these neurotransmitters. In this sense, the use of antidepressants that make monoamines available in the synaptic cleft is sought through pharmacotherapy. The choice of drug is based on symptoms of depression and good response to a particular class of antidepressants. In February 2009, the Ministry of Health launched the National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to the SUS (RENISUS), containing 71 plant species that are distributed in natura form in basic health units (UBS). Of these, only three species have antidepressant and anxiolytic effects proven in the literature, being Matricharia chamomilla, Erytrinum mulungu and Passiflora incarnata, which are also part of RENISUS. In addition to these, other species such as Melissa officinalis, Lippia alba, Valeriana officinalis and Piper methysticum are used by the population to treat anxiety, insomnia and depression, thus suggesting that these species are included in RENISUS.

Los estudios epidemiológicos estiman que la prevalencia de la depresión a lo largo de la vida en Brasil es de alrededor del 15,5%. Los factores que desencadenan la aparición de la depresión son sociales, psicológicos, biológicos y también factores externos específicos, como los acontecimientos estresantes, la soledad, el consumo de alcohol y drogas, las enfermedades crónicas y el parto (depresión posparto). El objetivo de esta investigación fue realizar una revisión bibliográfica sobre las principales plantas medicinales con acción antidepresiva. La ansiedad se ha convertido en uno de los principales problemas de la actualidad, intensificándose por la pandemia causada por el coronavirus, donde se encontró que durante el pico de la pandemia donde los casos confirmados de COVID-19 en Brasil aumentaron de 45.757 a 330.890, y las muertes, de 2.906 a 21.048, el sentimiento de tristeza/depresión alcanzó el 40% de los adultos brasileños. Los síntomas de la depresión pueden aliviarse cuando se aumenta la disponibilidad sináptica de las monoaminas, y este aumento puede producirse mediante una disminución de la metabolización de estos neurotransmisores. En este sentido, se busca a través de la farmacoterapia el uso de antidepresivos que hagan disponibles las monoaminas en la hendidura sináptica. La elección del fármaco se hace en función de los síntomas de la depresión y de la buena respuesta a una clase concreta de antidepresivos. En febrero de 2009, el Ministerio de Salud lanzó la Lista Nacional de Plantas Medicinales de Interés para el SUS (RENISUS), que contiene 71 especies de plantas que se distribuyen in natura en unidades básicas de salud (UBS). De ellas, sólo tres especies tienen efectos antidepresivos y ansiolíticos probados en la literatura: Matricharia chamomilla, Erytrinum mulungu y Passiflora incarnata, que también forman parte del RENISUS. Además de éstas, otras especies como Melissa officinalis, Lippia alba, Valeriana officinalis y Piper methysticum son utilizadas por la población para tratar la ansiedad, el insomnio y la depresión, lo que sugiere que estas especies se incluyan en el RENISUS.

The effect of red passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims.) fermentation time on its activity against Extended Strain Methicillin-Resistant (ESBL) Escherichia coli and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of fermentation techniques on the inhibitory activity of red passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims.) fermentation filtrate in De Man Rogosa Sharpe-broth (MRS-B) media against Extended Strain Methicillin-Resistant (ESBL) Escherichia coli and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). METHODS: The fruit pulp was wrapped in banana leaves before compared to direct fermentation processes. This study was divided into three treatment groups. Group 1 was the fruit pulp (5 g) fermented in 45 mL of MRS-B medium for 24 h. Group 2 was the fruit pulp wrapped in banana leaves for 3 days before fermented in MRS-B for 24 h. Group 3 was the fruit pulp wrapped in banana leaves for 3 days before fermentation in MRS-B for 48 h. Fermentation broth of each condition was taken and then filtered using millipore (0.2 µm). As many as 50 µL of filtrates was tested for its inhibitory activity against E. coli ESBL and MRSA using the Kirby Bauer method. RESULTS: Group 2 showed the best antibacterial activity against E. coli ESBL and MRSA with the average zone of inhibition of 38.3 and 37.6 mm respectively. These values were higher than the first and group 3s activities. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibitory activity of group 1s against ESBL and MRSA is categorized as a moderate potency with a diameter of growth inhibition zone of 16-20 mm, whereas the other groups are categorized as strong potency with a diameter higher than 20 mm.

The passion fruit liana (Passiflora edulis Sims, Passifloraceae) is tolerant to ozone.

Passiflora edulis Sims is a liana species of high economic interest and is an interesting model plant for understanding ozone action on disturbed vegetation. In this work we hypothesized that P. edulis has adaptive responses to oxidative stress that enable it to tolerate ozone damage based on its capacity to grow under a diversity of environmental conditions and to dominate disturbed areas. We exposed seedlings to three levels of ozone in a Free-Air Controlled Exposure (FACE) system (22, 41 and 58 ppb h AOT40 and 13.52, 17.24 and 20.62 mmol m-2 POD0, over 97 days) for identifying its tolerance mechanisms. Anatomical (leaf blade structure and fluorescence emission of chloroplast metabolites), physiological (leaf gas exchange, growth rate and biomass production) and biochemical (pigments, total sugars, starch, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant metabolites, reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation derivatives) responses were assessed. Ozone caused decreased total number of leaves, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the mesophyll cells, and accelerated leaf senescence. However, O3 did not affect carbohydrates content, net photosynthetic rate, or total biomass production, indicating that the carboxylation efficiency and associated physiological processes were not affected. In addition, P. edulis showed higher leaf contents of ascorbic acid, glutathione (as well high ratio between their reduced and total forms), carotenoids, and flavonoids located in the chloroplast outer envelope membrane. Our results indicate that P. edulis is an O3-tolerant species due to morphological acclimation responses and an effective antioxidant defense system represented by non-enzymatic antioxidants, which maintained the cellular redox balance under ozone.

Morphophysiology, Phenotypic and Molecular Diversity of Auxin-induced Passiflora mucronata Lam. (Passifloraceae).

Genetic diversity allows identification of potential intraspecific genotypes in the genus Passiflora. The objective of this study was to examine the morphological and genetic diversity of auxin-induced Passiflora mucronata. The experiments were arranged in a complete randomized block design, with a 9 x 2 factorial arrangement (nine genotypes x presence and absence of auxin, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)), with four replicates of 16 cuttings. The rooting and vegetative growth responses were variable. Genotype 5 was more responsive in the absence of IBA and genotypes 3, 8 and 9 were more responsive in the presence of IBA. Auxin increased rooting rate and percentage, reducing the average time of root protrusion in eight days. IBA also contributed to increase photosynthesis and dry root and shoot mass in 55.55 and 44.44% of the genotypes, respectively. The highest relative contribution to phenotypic diversity in the absence of auxin was rate (38.75%) and percentage (20.27%) of rooting, whereas in the presence of auxin was stomatal conductance (23.19%) and root dry mass (20.91%). Similarity was found for phenotypic and molecular divergence in the presence of IBA, in which genotypes 1 and 6; genotypes 5, 8 and 9; and genotype 3 were clustered in distinct groups.

Defense response in non-genomic model species: methyl jasmonate exposure reveals the passion fruit leaves' ability to assemble a cocktail of functionally diversified Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors and recruit two of them against papain.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Multiplicity of protease inhibitors induced by predators may increase the understanding of a plant's intelligent behavior toward environmental challenges. Information about defense mechanisms of non-genomic model plant passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) in response to predator attack is still limited. Here, via biochemical approaches, we showed its flexibility to build-up a broad repertoire of potent Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors (KTIs) in response to methyl jasmonate. Seven inhibitors (20-25 kDa) were purified from exposed leaves by chromatographic techniques. Interestingly, the KTIs possessed truncated Kunitz motif in their N-terminus and some of them also presented non-consensus residues. Gelatin-Native-PAGE established multiple isoforms for each inhibitor. Significant differences regarding inhibitors' activity toward trypsin and chymotrypsin were observed, indicating functional polymorphism. Despite its rarity, two of them also inhibited papain, and such bifunctionality suggests a recruiting process onto another mechanistic class of target protease (cysteine-type). All inhibitors acted strongly on midgut proteases from sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (a lepidopteran insect) while in vivo assays supported their insecticide properties. Moreover, the bifunctional inhibitors displayed activity toward midgut proteases from cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (a coleopteran insect). Unexpectedly, all inhibitors were highly effective against midgut proteases from Aedes aegypti a dipteran insect (vector of neglected tropical diseases) opening new avenues for plant-derived PIs for vector control-oriented research. Our results reflect the KTIs' complexities in passion fruit which could be wisely exploited by influencing plant defense conditions. Therefore, the potential of passion fruit as source of bioactive compounds with diversified biotechnological application was strengthened.

Biophysical characteristics of successful oilseed embryo cryoprotection and cryopreservation using vacuum infiltration vitrification: an innovation in plant cell preservation.

Heterogeneity in morphology, physiology and cellular chemistry of plant tissues can compromise successful cryoprotection and cryopreservation. Cryoprotection is a function of exposure time × temperature × permeability for the chosen protectant and diffusion pathway length, as determined by specimen geometry, to provide sufficient dehydration whilst avoiding excessive chemical toxicity. We have developed an innovative method of vacuum infiltration vitrification (VIV) at 381 mm (15 in) Hg (50 kPa) that ensures the rapid (5 min), uniform permeation of Plant Vitrification Solution 2 (PVS2) cryoprotectant into plant embryos and their successful cryopreservation, as judged by regrowth in vitro. This method was validated on zygotic embryos/embryonic axes of three species (Carica papaya, Passiflora edulis and Laurus nobilis) up to 1.6 mg dry mass and 5.6 mm in length, with varying physiology (desiccation tolerances) and 80 °C variation in lipid thermal profiles, i.e., visco-elasticity properties, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Comparisons between the melting features of cryoprotected embryos and embryo regrowth indicated an optimal internal PVS2 concentration of about 60% of full strength. The physiological vigour of surviving embryos was directly related to the proportion of survivors. Compared with conventional vitrification, VIV-cryopreservation offered a ∼ 10-fold reduction in PVS2 exposure times, higher embryo viability and regrowth and greater effectiveness at two pre-treatment temperatures (0 °C and 25 °C). VIV-cryopreservation may form the basis of a generic, high throughput technology for the ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources, aiding food security and protection of species from diverse habitats and at risk of extinction.

Genetic variation in yield under hot ambient temperatures spotlights a role for cytokinin in protection of developing floral primordia.

Unusually hot ambient temperatures (HAT) can cause pre-anthesis abortion of flowers in many diverse species, limiting crop production. This limitation is becoming more substantial with climate change. Flower primordia of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) vines exposed to HAT summers, normally abort. Flower abortion can also be triggered by gibberellin application. We screened for, and identified a genotype capable of reaching anthesis during summer as well as controlled HAT conditions, and also more resistant to gibberellin. Leaves of this genotype contained higher levels of endogenous cytokinin. We investigated a possible connection between higher cytokinin levels and response to gibberellin. Indeed, the effects of gibberellin application were partially suppressed in plants pretreated with cytokinin. Can higher cytokinin levels protect flowers from aborting under HAT conditions? In passion fruit, flowers at a specific stage showed more resistance in response to HAT after cytokinin application. We further tested this hypothesis in Arabidopsis. Transgenic lines with high or low cytokinin levels and cytokinin applications to wild-type plants supported a protective role for cytokinin on developing flowers exposed to HAT. Such findings may have important implications in future breeding programmes as well as field application of growth regulators.

No time for candy: passionfruit (Passiflora edulis) plants down-regulate damage-induced extra floral nectar production in response to light signals of competition.

Plant fitness is often defined by the combined effects of herbivory and competition, and plants must strike a delicate balance between their ability to capture limiting resources and defend against herbivore attack. Many plants use indirect defenses, such as volatile compounds and extra floral nectaries (EFN), to attract canopy arthropods that are natural enemies of herbivorous organisms. While recent evidence suggests that upon perception of low red to far-red (R:FR) ratios, which signal the proximity of competitors, plants down-regulate resource allocation to direct chemical defenses, it is unknown if a similar phytochrome-mediated response occurs for indirect defenses. We evaluated the interactive effects of R:FR ratio and simulated herbivory on nectar production by EFNs of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa). The activity of petiolar EFNs dramatically increased in response to simulated herbivory and hormonal treatment with methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Low R:FR ratios, which induced a classic "shade-avoidance" repertoire of increased stem elongation in P. edulis, strongly suppressed the EFN response triggered by simulated herbivory or MeJA application. Strikingly, the EFN response to wounding and light quality was localized to the branches that received the treatments. In vines like P. edulis, a local response would allow the plants to precisely adjust their light harvesting and defense phenotypes to the local conditions encountered by individual branches when foraging for resources in patchy canopies. Consistent with the emerging paradigm that phytochrome regulation of jasmonate signaling is a central modulator of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, our results demonstrate that light quality is a strong regulator of indirect defenses.

In vitro conservation of Passiflora suberosa L.: slow growth and cryopreservation.

Passiflora suberosa is a tropical species used as an ornamental, in popular medicine and in improvement programs. The goal of this study was the development of in vitro conservation strategies for this species, including medium-term storage through slow growth, and long-term storage through cryopreservation using vitrification-based techniques. Plants were maintained under slow growth conditions on half strength MSM or one quarter strength MSM medium for 12 months without decrease in regrowth ability. The efficiency of vitrification and encapsulation-vitrification protocols was compared in order to determine the optimal conditions for successful cryopreservation. Several parameters were evaluated, including pregrowth on medium with high sucrose concentrations, type of vitrification solution (PVS2 and PVS3), exposure time to vitrification solutions, and recovery conditions. The highest recovery was obtained with the encapsulation-vitrification protocol after a pretreatment with 0.3 M sucrose and post-cryopreservation incubation in the dark for 30 days on MSM medium supplemented with 0.44 micromole BA.

In vitro regeneration and multiplication of Passiflora hybrid "Guglielmo Betto".

With more than 450 species, Passiflora is the most important genus of the family Passifloraceae. It comprises many species grown for their edible fruits, for their high ornamental value, and further for the therapeutic properties. With their striking exotic flowers, they are of particular interest for the floriculture market. With the aim of evaluating the in vitro propagation of an Italian ornamental hybrid, axillary tendrils of Passiflora "Guglielmo Betto" M. Vecchia (P. incarnata L. x P. tucumanensis L.) were sterilized and placed in vitro. Direct shoot regeneration was achieved from young tendrils cultivated on MS medium containing, either 4.43 microM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 11.41 microM indoleacetic acid (IAA), or 49.20 microM 6-gamma-gamma-dimethylallylaminopurine (2iP) and 2.68 microM alpha-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), respectively. In vitro shoot multiplication, rooting, and regenerated plant acclimatization protocols were established.

Trypsin inhibitors in passion fruit (Passiflora f. edulis flavicarpa) leaves: accumulation in response to methyl jasmonate, mechanical wounding, and herbivory.

This work investigates the effect of methyl jasmonte (MeJa), mechanical wounding, and herbivory caused by larval feeding of a specialist insect ( Agraulis vanillae vanillae) upon trypsin inhibitory activity in passion fruit leaves. Despite the fact that all treatments caused accumulation of trypsin inhibitors (TIs), higher levels were observed in MeJa treated leaves when plants were assayed 24 and 48 h after stimulus. Concerning both mechanically injured plants and attacked ones, a systemic induction was observed. Partially purified inhibitors from MeJa exposed plants were further characterized by X-ray film contact print technique and N-terminal sequence. Such analysis indicated that the TIs identified belong to the Kunitz family. Moreover, the partially purified inhibitors strongly inhibited trypsin-like digestive enzymes from sugar cane stalk borer ( Diatraea saccharalis) in vitro. Our results further support the protective function of wound-inducible trypsin inhibitors and their potential as tools to improve important crop species against insect predation through genetic engineering.

Wound response in passion fruit (Passiflora f. edulis flavicarpa) plants: gene characterization of a novel chloroplast-targeted allene oxide synthase up-regulated by mechanical injury and methyl jasmonate.

The induction of a chloroplast-localized 13-lipoxygenase (13-LOX) in passion fruit leaves in response to methyl jasmonate (MeJa) was previously reported. Since allene oxide synthase (AOS) is a key cytochrome P450 enzyme in the oxylipin pathway leading to AOS-derived jasmonates, the results above led in turn to an investigation of AOS in our model plant. Spectrophotometric assays showed that 24 h exposure of MeJa caused a high increase in 13-hydroperoxy linolenic acid (13-HPOT) metabolizing activity in leaf tissue. Western analysis using polyclonal antibodies against tomato AOS strongly indicate that, at least a part of the 13-HPOT metabolizing capacity can be attributed to AOS activity. We cloned the cDNA from a novel AOS encoding gene from passion fruit, named PfAOS. The 1,512 bp open reading frame of the AOS-cDNA codes a putative protein of 504 amino acid residues containing a chloroplast target sequence. Database comparisons of the deduced amino acid sequence showed highest similarity with dicot AOSs. Immunocytochemistry analysis showed the compartmentalization of AOS in chloroplasts of MeJa treated leaves, corroborating the predicted subcellular localization. Northern analysis showed that AOS gene expression is induced in leaf tissue in response to mechanical wounding and exposure to MeJa. In addition, such treatments caused an increase in papain inhibitor(s) in leaf tissue. Taken together, these results indicate that PfAOS may play an important role in systemic wound response against chewing insect attack. Furthermore, it can be useful as a tool for understanding the regulation of jasmonates biosynthesis in passion fruit.

[Effects of two microbial agents on high temperature composting of passion fruit marc].

This paper studied the effects of microbial agents Faby (MF) and Rongfeng (MR) on the dynamic changes of temperature, C/N ratio, NH(4)+ -N and NO(3)- -N contents and compost quality in the composting process of passion fruit marc. The results showed that both MF and MR could accelerate the composting process. Compared with the control, these two agents extended the sustaining time of high temperature from 4 days to 11 and 12 days, promoted the decrease of C/N ratio, and the NO(3)- -N concentration increased by 58.0% and 64.2%, respectively. After the amendment of MF or MR, the total N, P and K contents, total porosity and water-holding porosity in the compost increased significantly, while the bulk density decreased. No significant difference was observed in the effects of MR and MF on the high temperature composting process of passionflower fruit marc, but MF was more beneficial to the improvement of compost quality.

Effect of nitrogen on Passiflora suberosa L. (Passifloraceae) and consequences for larval performance and oviposition in Heliconius erato phyllis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Avaliou-se a influência do nitrogênio no crescimento e nas características morfológicas e nutricionais de Passiflora suberosa L. e as conseqüências no desempenho larval e oviposição de Heliconius erato phyllis (Fabricius). Foram utilizados três níveis de nitrogênio no solo (tratamentos) para o cultivo de P. suberosa: 0, 150 e 300 mg L-1. Larvas recém-eclodidas foram criadas em laboratório (25 ± 1ºC), individualmente, em ramos das plantas cultivadas em cada tratamento e fêmeas capturadas em campo foram submetidas a testes de escolha para oviposição. A taxa de crescimento, a área foliar e o comprimento dos internódios de P. suberosa aumentaram significativamente com a adição de nitrogênio. A dureza das folhas jovens nas plantas cultivadas sem adição de nitrogênio foi maior, as quais também apresentaram menor conteúdo de água. Houve maior concentração de nitrogênio e potássio nas plantas cultivadas com a adição de nitrogênio no solo. A qualidade nutricional do alimento expressa pela maior concentração de nitrogênio e água, diminuiu o tempo de desenvolvimento larval e aumentou o tamanho dos adultos, embora não tenha afetado a sobrevivência de forma significativa. As fêmeas escolheram os ramos das plantas fertilizadas para oviposição, o que foi positivamente relacionado com desempenho das larvas. Isto poderia explicar a manutenção desse comportamento, bem como a escolha por ramos maiores, registrado em estudos anteriores.

Effect of nitrogen on Passiflora suberosa L. (Passifloraceae) and consequences for larval performance and oviposition in Heliconius erato phyllis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).

The present study examines the influence of nitrogen on growth rates, morphological and nutritional characteristics of Passiflora suberosa L., and the corresponding consequences for Heliconius erato phyllis (Fabricius) growth and oviposition. The treatments consisted of different nitrogen doses (0, 150 and 300 mg L(-1)) applied to the soil. Newly emerged larvae were individually reared in the laboratory (25+/-1 degree C) on branches of P. suberosa obtained from plants grown under the three nitrogen levels, and field collected females were submitted to oviposition choice tests. P. suberosa growth rates, leaf area and internode length increased significantly when grown with nitrogen enriched soil. P. suberosa presented significantly greater leaf toughness when grown without nitrogen addition. Leaves of this species also presented lower water content and toughness. Nitrogen addition increased the concentration of nitrogen and potassium on plant leaf tissues. The greater nitrogen concentration on plants did not affect H. erato phyllis larval survival, but led to a reduction in larval development time and increased adult size. Females significantly preferred to lay eggs in plants cultivated in nitrogen enriched soil. This choice was positively correlated with larval performance, which could be a possible explanation for the maintenance of that behaviour, as well as the choice of larger branches as reported in previous studies.

Accumulation of chloroplast-targeted lipoxygenase in passion fruit leaves in response to methyl jasmonate.

Wounding caused local and systemic induction of lipoxygenase (LOX) activity in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) leaves, while exposing intact plants to methyl jasmonate (MJ) vapor provoked a much stronger response. Western blot analysis of these leaf protein extracts using polyclonal antibodies against cucumber LOX, revealed an accumulation of a 90 kDa protein, consistent with LOX enzymatic assays. The inducible LOX was purified to apparent homogeneity, and in vitro analysis of LOXactivity using linoleic acid as substrate showed that it possesses C-13 specificity. Immunocytochemical localization studies using leaf tissue from MJ-treated plants demonstrated that the inducible LOX was compartmented in large quantities in the chloroplasts of mesophyll cells, associated with the stroma. The results suggest that the wound response in passion fruit plants may be mediated by a chloroplast 13-LOX, a key enzyme of the octadecanoid defense-signaling pathway.