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Impact of hydroxylated and non-hydroxylated aliphatic glucosinolates in Arabidopsis thaliana crosses on plant resistance against a generalist and a specialist herbivore

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Abstract

Glucosinolates (GSs) are part of a two-component defence system, characteristic for the Brassicales, including the model species Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. The defence activity of GSs is associated with different side chain structures. The AOP genes are central in side-chain modification. AOP2 mediates formation of alkenyl GS from a methylsulfinyl precursor, whereas AOP3 catalyzes production of hydroxy-alkyl GSs from the same precursor. Although several studies have assessed the role of GSs in plant defence, the function of specific aliphatic GSs in plant defence is still not clarified. Structural different GSs may influence insect herbivores differentially. We created a set of plant lines derived of a cross between two A. thaliana accessions, Gie-0 × Sap-0, which dominantly accumulate either 3-methylsulfinylpropyl GS or 3-hydroxypropyl GS. The generalist Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the crucifer-specialist Pieris brassicae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) were used as model insects, to study effects of individual aliphatic GSs on lepidopteran herbivores with a different feeding specialization. However, the experiments revealed that weight gain of S. exigua and P. brassicae third and fourth-larval instars was similar on both chemotypes. But leaf consumption of the generalist was higher on 3-methylsulfinylpropyl-producing lines with low GS levels (23.2 μmol g−1) than on 3-hydroxypropyl-producing lines that contained a more than twofold higher amount of GSs (60 μmol g−1). In contrast, no differential effects of non-hydroxylated and hydroxylated GSs were found on the specialist P. brassicae. Our study indicates that there is no simple relationship between GS content and insect responses.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Michael Reichelt and Dr. Jonathan Gershenzon (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Jena, Germany) for their collaborative help in analyzing the glucosinolate hydrolysis products. This work was funded by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, GZ ME 2095/4-1 and /4-2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Faculty for Agriculture and Horticulture, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Lentzeallee 55, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Franziska Rohr, Christian Ulrichs, Chau Nhi Nguyen & Inga Mewis

  2. Leibniz-Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops Großbeeren/Erfurt e.V, Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979, Großbeeren, Germany

    Franziska Rohr, Monika Schreiner, Chau Nhi Nguyen & Inga Mewis

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  1. Franziska Rohr
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  2. Christian Ulrichs
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  3. Monika Schreiner
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  4. Chau Nhi Nguyen
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  5. Inga Mewis
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Correspondence to Franziska Rohr.

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Rohr, F., Ulrichs, C., Schreiner, M. et al. Impact of hydroxylated and non-hydroxylated aliphatic glucosinolates in Arabidopsis thaliana crosses on plant resistance against a generalist and a specialist herbivore. Chemoecology 21, 171–180 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-011-0082-6

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