Before I started studying plants for a living, I used to think that plants are innocent, sessile organisms that sit around and bear all the attack from a myriad of herbivores some of which feed on their green parts or suck on their sap. But the truth can not be any further! Read on if you want to know more.
Plants have an exquisite system of surveillance in place that detects attacks by herbivores by sensing the chemical in the oral secretions of the attacking herbivores. Detection of these "attack signals" ignites a serious of biochemical reactions in the plants that result in the swift production of plant hormones known as jasmonic acid. Conjugation of Jasmonic acid with the amino acid isoleucine produce the biologically active hormone known as jasmonoyl-L-Isoleucine (JA-Ile). JA-Ile is perceived by the SCF-COI1 complex resulting in the degradation of transcriptional repressors and releasing the "master regulator" MYC2 that activates the transcription of defense related genes. The ultimate result of the transcriptonal activation is production of defense metabolites that are either toxic to the herbivores or that reduce their growth and development. What is particularly fascinating about this process is the speed and effectiveness of the responses- the defense responses are activated only when they are needed. The regulatory mechanisms are set in place to help plants avoid the cost of producing defense metabolites.
Plants are not innocent after all!
Authors get paid when people like you upvote their post.
If you enjoyed what you read here, create your account today and start earning FREE STEEM!
If you enjoyed what you read here, create your account today and start earning FREE STEEM!