Kessler André
Cornell University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, E445 Corson Hall, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2015 Apr;8:47-53. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.02.002. Epub 2015 Feb 10.
Resistance against antagonist organisms, such as herbivores, has been identified as a major function of constitutive and stress-inducible production of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). The mechanism through which constitutive expression and inducibility mediate resistance and, hence physiological and ecological factors that affect their evolution are still little understood. Here I propose information transfer as the least common denominator function of PSM production. In this framework constitutively produced PSMs represent the first line of defense through functioning as toxins, cues associated with toxicity and as detractants that interfere with antagonist host-search patterns. Information made available and utilizable by inducibility of secondary metabolite production allows plants to include the associated biological communities to cope with antagonists and to more efficiently target a specific attacker.
对诸如食草动物等拮抗生物的抗性，已被确认为植物次生代谢产物（PSMs）组成型和应激诱导型产生的主要功能。组成型表达和诱导性介导抗性的机制，以及影响其进化的生理和生态因素，目前仍知之甚少。在此，我提出信息传递是PSM产生的最基本功能。在这个框架中，组成型产生的PSMs通过作为毒素、与毒性相关的信号以及干扰拮抗生物宿主搜索模式的抑制剂，代表了第一道防线。次生代谢产物产生的诱导性所提供和可利用的信息，使植物能够整合相关生物群落来应对拮抗生物，并更有效地针对特定攻击者。
