Secondary metabolites evolution

In an evolutionary context, biosynthetic pathways utilized for metabolite production seem to be conserved within each phylum. Thus in Table 1.2, no evidence can be found for organisms in a phylum using all available biosynthetic pathways to the same extent. This implies that secondary metabolite evolution has not been entropic in nature, which should result in the expression of a greater range of different types of chemistry utilized by a more advanced organism. Rather, this implies that with evolution has come a change in the dominant biosynthetic pathway utilized in the production of secondary metabolites. The reasons for such changes are obscure and must remain... 

Theis N and Lerdau, M (2003), The evolution of function in plant secondary metabolites , Int. J. Plant Sci., 164 (3 Suppl.), S93-S102. 

It is of particular interest that polyamines closely related to CNS 2103 have been found not only in other spider species (29) but also in the venom of the solitary digger wasp Philanthus triangulum (32). The similarity of these wasp and spider neurotoxins provides a notable example of convergence in the evolution of secondary metabolites aimed at a common target. 

Bruckner, B. (1992) Secondary Metabolites Their Function and Evolution, Ciba... 

Sax DF, Stachowicz JJ, Gaines SD (eds) (2005) Species invasions insights into ecology, evolution and biogeography. Sinauer, Sunderland, MA, pp 495 Schmitt TM, Hay ME, LindquistN (1995) Constraints on chemically-mediated coevolution multiple functions for seaweed secondary metabolites. Ecology 76 107-123... 

Evolution of chemical defenses according to the optimal defense theory presumes, in addition to costly defenses, that there is genetic variation for the defensive metabolites, that herbivory is the major selective agent for such metabolites, and that the chemical trait in question is efficient in reducing herbivory (Stamp 2003). Research on macroalgal chemical defenses has strongly emphasized the last precondition, which has mainly been studied by testing the deterrence effects of secondary metabolites in bioassays. The defensive role for the trait has been assumed on the basis of deterrence it provides. Veiy little research on the first two... 

Like many other typical bacterial secondary metabolites, AGAs tend to be produced as complex product mixtures released from their producing cells. We interpret this as a strong sign for ongoing evolution of the respective pathways and ligand-target site interactions. In other words the biochemical interactions... 

Piepersberg, W. Metabolism and cell individualization. In Secondary Metabolites Their Function and Evolution, Ciba Foundation Symposium. 171 Chadwick, D. Whelan, J., Eds. Chichester John Wiley and Sons, 1992 pp. 294-304. 

Salatino, A. et al., Distribution and evolution of secondary metabolites in Eriocaulaceae, Lythra-ceae and Velloziaceae from campos rupestres , Gen. Mol. Biol, 23, 931, 2000. 

Wink, M. Evolution of Secondary Metabolites from an Ecological and Molecular Phylogenetic Perspective. Phytochemistry 2003 64 3-19. 

The classification of plants is primarily based on the similarities and differences that are displayed by their morphological and anatomical characteristics. In some instances this does not suffice since the morphological differences may not be genetically defined but have been caused by local bio-climatic factors. Nevertheless is apparent that secondary metabolites can contribute to the taxonomy of plants and their systematic evolution. There are many examples of cases where the morphological features are not clear and secondary metabolites serve to clarify the morphological classification (e.g. classification of the tribes of the family Asteraceae). It has also been proved to be significant to use all the secondary metabolites for the above purpose and not only one of their chemical groups [4]. 

It is well understood that the synthesis and modihcation of metabolites is under enzymatic control. The enzymes may function as catalysts, and the reactions themselves are not restricted only to living systems. So the evolution of biosynthetic capacity is largely the result of changes in enzymes by mutation, gene duplication, and other familiar processes. The organisms synthesize and modify secondary metabolites in a stepwise fashion, much as organic chemists do, and in neither case are the laws of nature violated. 

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