Green Leaf Volatiles: Nature’s Biopesticides Under Investigation
BNN
2024.01.29
When under attack, plants have a unique way of calling for help: they release oils known as green leaf volatiles (GLVs). These volatile organic compounds serve as a communication tool and defense mechanism against herbivores and pathogens. Now, researchers at the University of South Carolina are digging deeper into these intriguing chemical signals, exploring how they function within plant cells and their potential use as sustainable biopesticides in agriculture.
In a collaboration between the Wang Lab and Stratmann Lab, the researchers are investigating the role of GLVs in plant cells. Their recent study suggests that GLVs may operate in a way similar to damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). These molecules trigger an immune response in plants, alerting them to potential threats and starting a cascade of defensive actions.
Through examining the phosphoproteome of tomato cells, the researchers discovered that proteins involved in GLV signaling pathways are also engaged in managing stress and activating defense responses. This finding indicates that GLVs might act like DAMPs, setting off alarms in the plant and marshaling defenses against attackers.
When under attack, plants have a unique way of calling for help: they release oils known as green leaf volatiles (GLVs). These volatile organic compounds serve as a communication tool and defense mechanism against herbivores and pathogens. Now, researchers at the University of South Carolina are digging deeper into these intriguing chemical signals, exploring how they function within plant cells and their potential use as sustainable biopesticides in agriculture.
In a collaboration between the Wang Lab and Stratmann Lab, the researchers are investigating the role of GLVs in plant cells. Their recent study suggests that GLVs may operate in a way similar to damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). These molecules trigger an immune response in plants, alerting them to potential threats and starting a cascade of defensive actions.
Through examining the phosphoproteome of tomato cells, the researchers discovered that proteins involved in GLV signaling pathways are also engaged in managing stress and activating defense responses. This finding indicates that GLVs might act like DAMPs, setting off alarms in the plant and marshaling defenses against attackers.
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