Defence, biological

Department of Biology, Defence and Biotechnology of Agroforestry, University of Basilicata, 85 Via Nazario Sauro, 85100 Potenza, Italy... 

M. A. Lawton and C. J. Lamb, Transcriptional activation of plant defence genes by fungal elicitor, wounding and infection, Molecular Cell Biology 7 335 (1987). 

The first volume ends with a chapter by G. Pohnert on chemical defence in the marine environment. Defense compounds, which can be regarded as allomones, are often, but not always, more complex than other semiochemicals and may have unique modes of action. The biological mechanisms are not always easy to unravel, which is shown by some of examples. The reader may be tempted to compare the chemical complexity with that of terrestrial insect defence, which can be found in the second volume chapter by D. Daloze and J.-C. Braekman. Insects thus do not only produce interesting pheromones, but also complex allelochemicals for their own protection. 

Veldkamp, H. (1976). Continuous Culture in Microbial Physiology and Ecology. Meadowfield Press, Durham, UK. 25. Wolfe, G.V. (2000). The chemical defence ecology of marine unicellular plankton constraints, mechanisms and impacts. Biology Bulletin 198 225-244. 

Modelling and simulation are increasingly important instruments and these approaches have an enormous impact in the area of passive defence. Traditionally, the assessment of the chemical threat using the concept of challenge levels has been the primary focus. As the threat picture is changing, assessment of biological threats as well as threats exerted by (industrial) toxic compounds (including releases other than attack) have become important issues as well. 

Fridovich, I. (1978). The biology of oxygen radicals The superoxide radical is an agent of oxygen toxicity superoxide dismutases provide an important defence. Science 201, 875-80. 

One of the biologically harmful effects of free radicals was discussed in Section 5.3.1.5. Here the beneficial role of free radicals and ROS as part of immune defence is considered. 

Pasteels JM, Rowell-Rahier M, Braekman JC, Daloze D (1994) Chemical defence of adult leaf beetles updated. In Jolivet PH, Cox ML, Petitpierre E (eds) Novel aspects of the biology of Chrysomelidae. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, p 289... 

The hypothetic formula of ideal fatty foods was elaborated in which, along with the content of fatty acids, were taken into account the atherogenic properties, the level of defence against the peroxide oxygenation of the lipids and the concentration of biologically active substances. 

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