A major shoot-specific monoterpene indole alkaloid produced by Psychotria brachyceras, brachycerine, is regulated by either wounding or jasmonate application. Highest concentrations of the alkaloid are found in inflorescences, suggesting a defence role. Brachycerine has antimutagenic and antioxidant properties, capable of quenching singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical, and superoxide. This study aimed at characterizing the putative role of brachycerine in P. brachyceras responses to wounding and herbivory. Damage to leaves increased the content of brachycerine locally. Wounding did not affect phenolics content in P. brachyceras leaves, and no tannins were detected in the species. In generalist herbivore bioassays, neither brachycerine nor P. brachyceras extracts showed toxic effects. In vivo hydrogen peroxide staining assay showed less wound-generated peroxide accumulation in alkaloid treated tissues. This pattern was confirmed in quantitative assays measuring tissue hydrogen peroxide concentrations. Data indicate that brachycerine is not a herbivore deterrent, but rather an indirect chemical defence, modulating oxidative stress caused by mechanical damage.
DesprésL, DavidJ, GalletC. (2007) The evolutionary ecology of insect resistance to plant chemicals. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 22, 298–307.
2.
ArimuraG, OzawaR, ShimodaT, NishiokaT, BolandW, TakabayashiJ. (2000) Herbivory-induced volatiles elicit defense genes in lima bean leaves. Nature, 406, 512–515.
3.
KesslerA, BaldwinIT. (2002) Plant responses to insect herbivory: the emerging molecular analysis. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 53, 299–328.
4.
SicilianoT, De LeoM, BaderA, De TommasiN, VrielingK, BraçaA, MorelliI. (2005) Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Anchusa strigosa and their antifeedant activity. Phytochemistry, 66, 1593–1600.
5.
BoudetA. (2007) Evolution and current status of research in phenolic compounds. Phytochemistry, 68, 2722–2735.
6.
XiaoZ, HarrisMK, ZhangZ. (2007) Acorn defenses to herbivory from insects: implication for the joint evolution of resistance, tolerance and escape. Forest Ecology and Management, 238, 302–308
7.
MakkarHPS. (2003) Effects and fate of tannins in ruminant animals, adaptation to tannins, and strategies to overcome detrimental effects on feeding tannin-rich feeds. Small Ruminant Research, 49, 241–256.
8.
Orozco-CardenasM, RyanC. (1999) Hydrogen peroxide is generated systemically in plant leaves by wounding and systemin via the octadecanoid pathway. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 96, 6553–6557.
9.
GouldKS, MckelvieJ, MarkhamKR. (2002) Do anthocyanins function as antioxidant in leaves? Imaging of H2O2 in red and green leaves after mechanical injury. Plant, Cell & Environment, 25, 1261–1269.
10.
KerberVA, GregianiniTS, ParanhosJ, SchwambachJ, FariasF, FettJP, Fett-NetoAG, ZuanazziJAS, QuirionJ, ElisabetskyE, HenriquesAT. (2001) Brachycerine, a novel monoterpene indole alkaloid from Psychotria brachyceras. Journal of Natural Products, 64, 677–679.
11.
GregianiniTS, SilveiraVC, PortoDD, KerberVA, HenriquesAT, Fett-NetoAG. (2003) The alkaloid brachycerine is induced by ultraviolet radiation and is a singlet oxygen quencher. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 78, 470–474
12.
GregianiniTS, PortoDD, NascimentoNC, FettJP, HenriquesAT, Fett-NetoAG. (2004) Environmental and ontogenetic control of accumulation of brachycerine, a bioactive indole alkaloid from Psychotria brachyceras. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 30, 2023–2036
13.
NascimentoNC, FragosoV, MouraDJ, SilvaACR, Fett-NetoAG, SaffiJ. (2007) Antioxidant and antimutagenic effects of the crude foliar extract and the alkaloid brachycerine of Psychotria brachyceras. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, 48, 728–734.
14.
LealMB, ElisabetskyE. (1996) Absence of alkaloids in Psychotria carthagenensis Jacq. (Rubiaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 54, 37–40.
15.
ShojiT, OgawaT, HashimotoT. (2008) Jasmonate-induced nicotine formation in tobacco is mediated by tobacco COI1 and JAZ genes. Plant and Cell Physiology, 49, 1003–1012.
16.
RossiAM, StilingP, MoonDC, CattellMV, DrakeBG. (2004) Induced defensive response of myrtile oak to foliar insect herbivory in ambient and elevated CO2. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 30, 1143–1152.
17.
BaldwinIT, SchmelzEA, OhnmeissTE. (1994) Wound-induced changes in root and shoot jasmonic acid pools correlate with induced nicotine synthesis in Nicotiana sylvestris Spegazzini and Comes. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 20, 2139–2153.
18.
GruberCW, ElliottAG, IrelandDC, DelpretePG, DesseinS, GoranssonU, TrabiM, WangCK, KinghornAB, RobbrechtE, CraikDJ. (2008) Distribution and evolution of circular miniproteins in flowering plants. Plant Cell, 20, 2471–2483.
19.
NascimentoNC, MenguerPK, SperottoRA, AlmeidaMR, Fett-NetoAG. (2013) Early changes in gene expression induced by acute UV exposure in leaves of Psychotria brachyceras, a bioactive alkaloid accumulating plant. Molecular Biotechnology, 54, 79–91.
20.
MatsuuraHN, Fett-NetoAG. (2013) The major indole alkaloid N, β-D-glucopyranosyl vincosamide from leaves of Psychotria leiocarpa Cham. & Schltdl. is not an antifeedant but shows broad antioxidant activity. Natural Product Research, 27, 402–411.
21.
Fett-NetoAG, TeixeiraSL, SilvaEAM, Sant'AnnaRS. (1992) Biochemical and morphological changes during in vitro rhizogenesis in cuttings of Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl. Journal of Plant Physiology, 140, 720–728.
22.
RubanzaCDK, ShemMN, OtsyinaR, BakengesaSS, IchinoheT, FujiharaT. (2005) Polyphenolics and tannins effect on in vitro digestibility of selected Acacia species leaves. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 119, 129–142.
23.
HagermanAE, ButlerLG. (1978) Protein precipitation method for the quantitative determination of tannins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 26, 809–812.
24.
Van DamNM, VuisterLWM, BergshoeffC, De VosH, Van der MeijdenE. (1995). The “raison d'être” of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Cynoglossum officinale: deterrent effects against generalist herbivores. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 21, 507–523.
25.
SmithDB, RoddickJG, JonesJL. (2001) Synergism between the potato glycoalkaloids α-chaconine and α-solanine in inhibition of snail feeding. Phytochemistry, 57, 229–234.
26.
MandalC, GhoshN, AdakMK, DeyN. (2013) Interaction of polyamine on oxidative stress induced by exogenously applied hydrogen peroxide in Salvinia natans Linn. Theoretical and Experimental Plant Physiology, 25, 223–230.
