Pimvichai Piyatida, Jumpajan Warinthan, Buaboon Phikun, Sutthisa Waraporn, Nantarat Nattawadee, Backeljau Thierry
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
J Chem Ecol. 2025 Jul 2;51(4):72. doi: 10.1007/s10886-025-01623-0.
The defensive secretions of the millipede, Coxobolellus saratani Pimvichai, Enghoff & Backeljau, 2022 were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to provide the very first data on the composition of the defensive secretions of the family Pseudospirobolellidae (Diplopoda: superorder Juliformia, order Spirobolida). This unveiled at least 12 identifiable compounds, including six quinones, two phenols, and four fatty acid esters. The three most prevalent identifiable compounds were 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (25.52%), hexyl pentadecanoate (11.57%) (the first report of a fatty acid ester compound in the order Spirobolida and tentatively indicating that this may be a shared feature of the Juliformia), and 3,4-dimethoxyphenol (10.51%). The antimicrobial activity of the defensive secretions was evaluated against three gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and S. aureus DMST20654), four gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, E. coli ATCC25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella ser. Typhi ATCC16122), and two yeast strains (Candida albicans and C. albicans ATCC10231). The antibiotic kanamycin and the antifungal drug fluconazole were employed as positive controls. Paper disc diffusion assays demonstrated that the fresh, undiluted, secretions inhibited the growth of all tested microorganisms. Furthermore, broth microdilution analysis revealed Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) ranging from 40 to 20,000 µg/mL and Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentrations (MBC/MFC) ranging from 1,250 to > 20,000 µg/mL. The MIC values indicated that the defensive secretions of C. saratani are notably more efficient than kanamycin and fluconazole in inhibiting the growth of S. aureus DMST20654, E. coli ATCC25922 and C. albicans, but inhibit less effectively the visible growth of the six other microbial taxa tested. Finally, the MBC/MFC values revealed that the secretions of C. saratani may show less potent antimicrobial activity against the nine microbial taxa tested than kanamycin and fluconazole. Nevertheless, these results suggest once more that millipede defensive secretions may not only deter predators, but may also provide millipedes with a chemical defense against pathogens and parasites.
通过气相色谱 - 质谱联用技术分析了2022年发现的萨拉塔尼考克马陆(Coxobolellus saratani Pimvichai, Enghoff & Backeljau)的防御性分泌物,以获取关于伪螺旋马陆科(倍足纲:巨马陆超目,螺旋马陆目)防御性分泌物成分的首批数据。这揭示了至少12种可识别的化合物,包括六种醌类、两种酚类和四种脂肪酸酯。三种最常见的可识别化合物是2,3 - 二甲氧基 - 1,4 - 苯醌(25.52%)、十六酸己酯(11.57%)(这是螺旋马陆目中脂肪酸酯化合物的首次报道,并初步表明这可能是巨马陆超目的一个共同特征)和3,4 - 二甲氧基苯酚(10.51%)。针对三种革兰氏阳性菌(蜡样芽孢杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和金黄色葡萄球菌DMST20654)、四种革兰氏阴性菌(大肠杆菌、大肠杆菌ATCC25922、铜绿假单胞菌和伤寒沙门氏菌ATCC16122)以及两种酵母菌株(白色念珠菌和白色念珠菌ATCC10231)评估了防御性分泌物的抗菌活性。抗生素卡那霉素和抗真菌药物氟康唑用作阳性对照。纸片扩散法表明,新鲜的、未稀释的分泌物抑制了所有测试微生物的生长。此外,肉汤微量稀释分析显示最低抑菌浓度(MIC)范围为40至20,000μg/mL,最低杀菌/杀真菌浓度(MBC/MFC)范围为1,250至>20,000μg/mL。MIC值表明,萨拉塔尼考克马陆的防御性分泌物在抑制金黄色葡萄球菌DMST20654、大肠杆菌ATCC25922和白色念珠菌的生长方面明显比卡那霉素和氟康唑更有效,但对其他六种测试微生物类群的可见生长抑制效果较差。最后,MBC/MFC值表明,萨拉塔尼考克马陆的分泌物对所测试的九种微生物类群的抗菌活性可能比卡那霉素和氟康唑弱。然而,这些结果再次表明,马陆的防御性分泌物不仅可以威慑捕食者,还可能为马陆提供针对病原体和寄生虫的化学防御。