RESUMEN
Escalation (macroevolutionary increase) or divergence (disparity between relatives) in trait values are two frequent outcomes of the plant-herbivore arms race. We studied the defences and caterpillars associated with 21 sympatric New Guinean figs. Herbivore generalists were concentrated on hosts with low protease and oxidative activity. The distribution of specialists correlated with phylogeny, protease and trichomes. Additionally, highly specialised Asota moths used alkaloid rich plants. The evolution of proteases was conserved, alkaloid diversity has escalated across the studied species, oxidative activity has escalated within one clade, and trichomes have diverged across the phylogeny. Herbivore specificity correlated with their response to host defences: escalating traits largely affected generalists and divergent traits specialists; but the effect of escalating traits on extreme specialists was positive. In turn, the evolution of defences in Ficus can be driven towards both escalation and divergence in individual traits, in combination providing protection against a broad spectrum of herbivores.
Asunto(s)
Ficus , Herbivoria , Insectos , Animales , Fenotipo , FilogeniaRESUMEN
Here we report the discovery and synthesis of complex polybrominated p-terphenyl ethers isolated from a mushroom (Boletopsis sp.) used as a traditional medicine by the Kiovi people in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Boletopsins 13 and 14 represent the first report of polybrominated fungal metabolites to be produced by a terrestrial fungus. The synthetic method employs 2,4,4,6-tetrabromo-2,5-cyclohexadienone to achieve selective polybromination of the extended aromatic system in a selective and sequential manner.
Asunto(s)
Agaricales/química , Hidrocarburos Bromados , Compuestos de Terfenilo , Basidiomycota , Escherichia coli/efectos de los fármacos , Hidrocarburos Bromados/síntesis química , Hidrocarburos Bromados/química , Hidrocarburos Bromados/aislamiento & purificación , Hidrocarburos Bromados/farmacología , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Estructura Molecular , Resonancia Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular , Papúa Nueva Guinea , Staphylococcus epidermidis/efectos de los fármacos , Compuestos de Terfenilo/síntesis química , Compuestos de Terfenilo/química , Compuestos de Terfenilo/aislamiento & purificación , Compuestos de Terfenilo/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Exhaustive hydro-distillation of the bark, heartwood and fruits of Cryptocarya massoy (Lauraceae) afforded pale yellow-coloured oils in 0.7, 1.2 and 1.0 % yields, respectively. Detailed chemical evaluation of these distillates using GC/MS revealed the major components in the bark and the heartwood oils to be the C-10 (5,6-dihydro-6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one) and C-12 (5,6-dihydro-6-heptyl-2H-pyran-2-one) massoia lactones, while the major fruit oil constituent was benzyl benzoate (68.3 %). The heartwood also contained trace amounts of the C-14 (5,6-dihydro-6-nonyl-2H-pyran-2-one) massoia lactone (1.4 %) and the saturated C-10 derivative delta-decalactone (2.5 %).
Asunto(s)
Cryptocarya/química , Frutas/química , Lauraceae/química , Aceites Volátiles/química , Corteza de la Planta/química , Aceites de Plantas/química , Papúa Nueva GuineaRESUMEN
Exhaustive hydro-distillation of the leaves of Piper aduncum and fruits of Piper gibbilimbum (Piperaceae) afforded colorless and pale orange colored oils in 0.35 and 0.30 % yields, respectively. Detailed chemical analysis by GC/MS indicated the volatile constituents of Piper aduncum to be composed of dill apiole (43.3%), beta-caryophyllene (8.2%), piperitione (6.7%) and alpha-humulene (5.1%), whilst the oil of P. gibbilimbum is dominated by the gibbilimbols A-D (74.2%), with the remaining major constituents being the terpenes camphene (13.6%) and alpha-pinene (6.5%).