Chemical imitation of yeast fermentation by the drosophilid-pollinated deceptive trap-flower Aristolochia baetica (Aristolochiaceae)

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Thomas Rupp - , Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (Autor:in)
  • Birgit Oelschlägel - , Professur für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden (Autor:in)
  • Regina Berjano - , Universidad de Sevilla (Autor:in)
  • Hafez Mahfoud - , Professur für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden (Autor:in)
  • Daniele Buono - , Professur für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden (Autor:in)
  • Torsten Wenke - , Professur für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden (Autor:in)
  • Katharina Rabitsch - , Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (Autor:in)
  • Gerhard Bächli - , Universität Zürich (Autor:in)
  • Vesna Stanojlovic - , Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (Autor:in)
  • Chiara Cabrele - , Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (Autor:in)
  • Wujian Xiong - , Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg, Mianyang Normal University (Autor:in)
  • Markus Knaden - , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (Autor:in)
  • Andreas Dahl - , DRESDEN-concept Genome Center (CMCB Core Facility), Technische Universität Dresden (Autor:in)
  • Christoph Neinhuis - , Professur für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden (Autor:in)
  • Stefan Wanke - , Professur für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (Autor:in)
  • Stefan Dötterl - , Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (Autor:in)

Abstract

Deceptive flowers, unlike in mutualistic pollination systems, mislead their pollinators by advertising rewards which ultimately are not provided. Although our understanding of deceptive pollination systems increased in recent years, the attractive signals and deceptive strategies in the majority of species remain unknown. This is also true for the genus Aristolochia, famous for its deceptive and fly-pollinated trap flowers. Representatives of this genus were generally assumed to be oviposition-site mimics, imitating vertebrate carrion or mushrooms. However, recent studies found a broader spectrum of strategies, including kleptomyiophily and imitation of invertebrate carrion. A different deceptive strategy is presented here for the western Mediterranean Aristolochia baetica L. We found that this species is mostly pollinated by drosophilid flies (Drosophilidae, mostly Drosophila spp.), which typically feed on fermenting fruit infested by yeasts. The flowers of A. baetica emitted mostly typical yeast volatiles, predominantly the aliphatic compounds acetoin and 2,3-butandiol, and derived acetates, as well as the aromatic compound 2-phenylethanol. Analyses of the absolute configurations of the chiral volatiles revealed weakly (acetoin, 2,3-butanediol) to strongly (mono- and diacetates) biased stereoisomer-ratios. Electrophysiological (GC-EAD) experiments and lab bioassays demonstrated that most of the floral volatiles, although not all stereoisomers of chiral compounds, were physiologically active and attractive in drosophilid pollinators; a synthetic mixture thereof successfully attracted them in field and lab bioassays. We conclude that A. baetica chemically mimics yeast fermentation to deceive its pollinators. This deceptive strategy (scent chemistry, pollinators, trapping function) is also known from more distantly related plants, such as Arum palaestinum Boiss. (Araceae) and Ceropegia spp. (Apocynaceae), suggesting convergent evolution. In contrast to other studies working on floral scents in plants imitating breeding sites, the present study considered the absolute configuration of chiral compounds.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer114142
FachzeitschriftPhytochemistry
Jahrgang224
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Aug. 2024
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

PubMed 38762152

Schlagworte

Schlagwörter

  • Acetoin, Aristolochia baetica, Aristolochiaceae, Chemical mimicry, Deceptive pollination, Drosophilidae, Electroantennography, Floral scents, Phoridae, Stereochemistry