Secondary plant metabolites, physiological

Bonner, J. Plant Biochemistry, p. 537. Academic Press, New York 1950 Bonner, J., Galston, A. W. Principles of Plant Physiology. Freeman, San Francisco 1952 Brattsten, L. B. Biochemical defense mechanisms in herbivores against plant biochemicals. In Herbivores, their Interaction with Secondary Plant Metabolites, p. 202. Academic Press, New York 1979... 

Hrazdina, G., Marx, G.A. Hoch, H.C. (1982). Distribution of secondary plant metabolites and their biosynthetic enzymes in pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaves anthocyanins and flavonol glycosides. Plant Physiology, 70, 745-748. 

Mothes, K. in "Secondary Plant Products" Encylopaedia of Plant Physiology New Series, Vol. 8 Ed. Bell, E.A. and Chari wood B.V. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1980, p. 1 Bu Lock, J.D. in "The Biosynthesis of Mycotoxins", Ed. Steyn, P.S., Academic Press, New York - London, 1980, p. 1 Janzen, K.H. in "Herbivores - Their Interactions with Secondary Metabolites" Ed. Rosenthal, G.A. and Janzen, D.H. Academic Press, New York - London, 1979, p. 331 Rhoades, D.F. in "Herbivores - Their Interactions with Secondary Metabolites" Ed. Rosenthal, G.A. and Janzen, D.H. Academic Press, Nre York - London, 1979, p. 3. 

Luckner, M. Expression and Control of Secondary Metabolism. In Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, New Series, Vol. 8, Secondary Plant Products (E. A. Bell, B. V. Charlwood. eds.), pp. 23-63, Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York 1980 Mothes, K. Secondary plant substances as materials for chemical high quality breeding in higher plants. In Biochemical Interactions between Plants and Insects (J. W. Wallace, R. L. Mansell, eds.), pp. 385-405. Plenum, New York 1976 Zahner, H. What are secondary metabolites Folia Microbiol. 24, 435-443 (1979)... 

Plants show physiological and morphological responses to a range of physical and chemical factors known as elicitors. These responses have been considered as defense reactions elicited by the plants biochemical factory to ensure their survival, persistence, and competitiveness. The addition of trace amounts of elicitors in in vitro culture has been developed as one of the main strategies to improve the yield of secondary metabolites. 

The underlying assumption driving marine natural products chemistry research is that secondary metabolites produced by marine plants, animals, and microorganisms will be substantially different from those found in traditional terrestrial sources simply because marine life forms are very different from terrestrial life forms and the habitats which they occupy present very different physiological and ecological challenges. The expectation is that marine organisms will utilize completely unique biosynthetic pathways or exploit unique variations on well established pathways. The marine natural products chemistry research conducted to date has provided many examples that support these expectations. 

TaizL andZeigerE. 2006. Secondary metabolites and plant defense. In Plant Physiology, 4th ed. Sunderland, MA Sinauer Associates, pp. 316-344. 

Recently, a new polyketide biosynthetic pathway in bacteria that parallels the well studied plant PKSs has been discovered that can assemble small aromatic metabolites.8,9 These type III PKSs10 are members of the chalcone synthase (CHS) and stilbene synthase (STS) family of PKSs previously thought to be restricted to plants.11 The best studied type III PKS is CHS. Physiologically, CHS catalyzes the biosynthesis of 4,2, 4, 6 -tetrahydroxychalcone (chalcone). Moreover, in some organisms CHS works in concert with chalcone reductase (CHR) to produce 4,2 ,4 -trihydroxychalcone (deoxychalcone) (Fig. 12.1). Both natural products constitute plant secondary metabolites that are used as precursors for the biosynthesis of anthocyanin pigments, anti-microbial phytoalexins, and chemical inducers of Rhizobium nodulation genes.12... 

McKey D (1974) Adaptive patterns in alkaloid physiology. Am Nat 108 305-320 McKey D (1979) The distribution of secondary compounds within plants. In Rosenthal GA, Janzen DH (eds) Herbivores their interactions with plant secondary metabolites. Academic, New York, pp 55-133... 

Foley WJ, Moore BD (2005) Plant secondary metabolites and vertebrate herbivores - from physiological regulation to ecosystem function. Curr Opin Plant Biol 8 430 135 Freeland WJ (1991) Plant secondary metabolites biochemical coevolution with herbivores. In Palo RT, Robbins CT (eds) Plant defenses against mammalian herbivory. CRC, Boca Raton, FL, pp 61-81... 

Perhaps most conspicuous by their absence from the list (cf. Table VIII) are the alkaloids. These substances, generally defined as nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites, are common plant products and usually have distinct physiological activities. Nevertheless, to date no reports seem to have appeared concerning the presence (or absence) of alkaloids as Gossypium metabolites. 

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