Aristolochia mimics stink bugs to repel vertebrate herbivores via TRPA1 activation.

Yu, Yu-Long; Ge, Jia; Dong, Wen-Qi; Chomicki, Guillaume; Yang, Shi-Long; Geng, Yupeng; Chen, Gao

Abstract

Mimicry is the phenomenon in which one species (the mimic) closely resembles another (the model), enhancing its own fitness by deceiving a third party into interacting with it as if it were the model. In plants, mimicry is used primarily to gain fitness by withholding rewards from mutualists or deterring herbivores cost-effectively. While extensive work has been documented on putative defence mimicry, limited investigation has been conducted in the field of chemical mimicry. In this study, we used field experiments, chemical analyses, behavioural assays, and electrophysiology, to test the hypothesis that the birthwort Aristolochia delavayi employs chemical mimicry by releasing leaf scent that closely resembles stink bug defensive compounds and repels vertebrate herbivores. We show that A. delavayi leaf scent is chemically and functionally similar to the generalized defensive volatiles of stink bugs and that the scent effectively deters vertebrate herbivores, likely through the activation of TRPA1 channels via (E)-2-alkenal compounds. This study provides an unequivocal example of chemical mimicry in plants, revealing intricate dynamics between plants and vertebrate herbivores. Our study underscores the potency of chemical volatiles in countering vertebrate herbivory, urging further research to uncover their potentially underestimated importance. [Abstract copyright: © 2023 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2023 New Phytologist Foundation.]

Citation

Yu, Y., Ge, J., Dong, W., Chomicki, G., Yang, S., Geng, Y., & Chen, G. (2024). Aristolochia mimics stink bugs to repel vertebrate herbivores via TRPA1 activation. New Phytologist, 242(1), 278-288. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19407

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 31, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Nov 20, 2023
• Publication Date: 2024-04
• Deposit Date: Mar 22, 2024
• Journal: The New phytologist
• Print ISSN: 0028-646X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 242
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 278-288
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19407
• Keywords: mimicry, TRPA1, Aristolochia, chemical defence, olfactory cues, kleptoparasite
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1987773