Glycosylated ‑Acyl Phosphoethanolamines as Bacterial Food-Dependent Signaling Molecules in Nematodes.

-acyl ethanolamines represent conserved lipophilic signaling molecules that function as endogenous ligands at G-protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, and nuclear receptors. Using a combination of comparative ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-HR-MS) analysis and microreactions, a diversity of glycosylated -acyl phosphoethanolamines were characterized in nematodes. Representative examples were enriched by RP-C18 chromatography and identified by NMR spectroscopy.

Aridity drives community-wide shifts towards phytochemical underdispersion.

Current theoretical advances integrating eco-metabolomics into ecological research provide a novel perspective for predicting interactions between plants and their environment. Yet, whether the plant metabolome varies predictably and consistently with functional traits along environmental clines remains largely unknown. We explored shifts in community-level responses reflected in community-weighted means, Rao's quadratic entropy and β-diversity for functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf area, leaf dry matter content and height) and chemical properties (features, classes and structural/compositional diversity) in eight plant communities distributed along a sub-Saharan aridity gradient.

Metabolic profiling of three Brachypodium species reveals different adaptive strategies to ammonium stress.

Nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) in crops is a critical challenge, as only 40 % of applied nitrogen is typically recovered at harvest. Ammonium-based nutrition is proposed as a strategy to increase NUE in agrosystems. However, crops display better performance when growing with a nitrate-based nutrition.

Swimming emissions from dogs treated with spot-on fipronil or imidacloprid: Assessing the environmental risk.

Background: Fipronil and imidacloprid are increasingly recognised as contaminants of concern in aquatic environments. This study aimed to quantify swimming emissions from dogs treated with spot-on fipronil or imidacloprid, assess the associated environmental risks and evaluate whether current label instructions on swimming restrictions are adequate.

Methods: Emissions from swimming were measured for 49 dogs treated with spot-on fipronil or imidacloprid on days 5, 14 or 28 post-application.

Development and validation of a highly sensitive method for the analysis of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) in plant-based food and beverages.

Recently, concerns have been raised over succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides and their potential adverse effects on the environment and nontarget organisms including humans. Appropriate analysis methods are thus necessary for their proper risk assessment. Here, a highly sensitive method based on QuEChERS and UHPLC-MS/MS was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of 12 SDHIs and seven of their metabolites in beverages, fruits and vegetables.

Microbial Interactions Influence the Chemical Defense of Wild and Cultivated Tomato Species.

Tomato, a globally significant crop, faces continuous threats from pests and pathogens, necessitating alternative approaches to reduce chemical inputs. Beneficial soil microbes, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), offer promising solutions by enhancing plant growth and pest tolerance. However, domestication may have weakened tomatoes' interactions with these microbes, potentially compromising their innate immunity, a hypothesis that remains largely unexplored.

High prevalence of veterinary drugs in bird's nests.

The environmental impact of insecticides used as ectoparasitic treatments for companion animals is not well understood, since they are not subject to detailed environmental risk assessment. Many of these treatments include active ingredients such as fipronil and imidacloprid that are banned from agricultural use in the EU. These treatments are applied topically and can remain on the animal's fur for an extended period of time.

The polyvalent sequestration ability of an economically important beetle.

Many specialized herbivorous insects sequester single classes of toxic secondary metabolites from their host plants as protection against natural enemies. If and how herbivores can use multiple classes of plant toxins across the large chemical diversity of plants for self-protection is unknown. We show that the polyphagous adults of the beetle Diabrotica virgifera are capable of selectively accumulating benzoxazinoids, cucurbitacins, and glucosinolates but not cyanogenic glycosides.

Kin recognition for incest avoidance in Damaraland mole-rats, .

Across taxa, breeding among close relatives is usually avoided because it incurs fitness costs to offspring. Incest is often averted through the dispersal of either sex from the natal area to breed. In some philopatric species, association among relatives extends into adulthood, and an ability to discriminate kin may be required for individuals to reduce inbreeding risk.

Plant-to-plant defence induction in cotton is mediated by delayed release of volatiles upon herbivory.

Caterpillar feeding immediately triggers the release of volatile compounds stored in the leaves of cotton plants. Additionally, after 1 d of herbivory, the leaves release other newly synthesised volatiles. We investigated whether these volatiles affect chemical defences in neighbouring plants and whether such temporal shifts in emissions matter for signalling between plants.

Bacterial bioluminescence is an important regulator of multitrophic interactions in the soil.

Enormous efforts have been made to understand the functions of bioluminescence; however, its relevance in soil ecosystems has barely been investigated. In addition, our understanding of the biological relevance of bioluminescence is hampered by the scarcity of tools to genetically manipulate this trait. Using the symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes, Photorhabdus bacteria, we show that bioluminescence plays important regulatory roles in multitrophic interactions in the soil.

Variation in insect herbivory across an urbanization gradient: The role of abiotic factors and leaf secondary metabolites.

Urbanization impacts plant-herbivore interactions, which are crucial for ecosystem functions such as carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling. While some studies have reported reductions in insect herbivory in urban areas (relative to rural or natural forests), this trend is not consistent and the underlying causes for such variation remain unclear. We conducted a continental-scale study on insect herbivory along urbanization gradients for three European tree species: Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, and Fraxinus excelsior, and further investigated their biotic and abiotic correlates to get at mechanisms.

Identification of Granatane Alkaloids from (Solanaceae) using Molecular Networking and Semisynthesis.

The Solanaceae plant family contains at least 98 genera and over 2700 species. The genus stands out for its ability to produce pyridine and tropane alkaloids, which are relatively poorly characterized at the phytochemical level. In this study, we analyzed dried leaves of using supercritical CO extraction and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry, followed by feature-based molecular networking.

Natural plant disease suppressiveness in soils extends to insect pest control.

Background: Since the 1980s, soils in a 22-km area near Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland have been recognized for their innate ability to suppress the black root rot plant disease caused by the fungal pathogen Thielaviopsis basicola. However, the efficacy of natural disease suppressive soils against insect pests has not been studied.

Results: We demonstrate that natural soil suppressiveness also protects plants from the leaf-feeding pest insect Oulema melanopus.

Fast neonicotinoid quantification in honey using the one-point internal calibration approach.

Neonicotinoids, a highly effective class of insecticides used worldwide, have been identified as a major cause of concern for biodiversity. To assess the ecological and environmental consequences of neonicotinoids' use, reliable analytical methodologies, including calibration approaches, are needed. Here, we compared the performance of internal calibration (IC) using a single concentration of stable isotope-labeled standard (SIL) with classical multipoint external calibration (EC) for the quantification of six neonicotinoids in honey.

Hyphenation of microflow chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for bioanalytical applications focusing on low molecular weight compounds: A tutorial review.

Benefits of miniaturized chromatography with various detection modes, such as increased sensitivity, chromatographic efficiency, and speed, were recognized nearly 50 years ago. Over the past two decades, this approach has experienced rapid growth, driven by the emergence of mass spectrometry applications serving -omics sciences and the need for analyzing minute volumes of precious samples with ever higher sensitivity. While nanoscale liquid chromatography (flow rates <1 μL/min) has gained widespread recognition in proteomics, the adoption of microscale setups (flow rates ranging from 1 to 100 μL/min) for low molecular weight compound applications, including metabolomics, has been surprisingly slow, despite the inherent advantages of the approach.

Soil and unsaturated zone as a long-term source for pesticide metabolites in groundwater.

Pesticide metabolites are frequently detected in groundwater, often exceeding the concentrations of their parent pesticides. Ceasing the application of certain pesticides has often not led to the expected decrease in metabolite concentrations in groundwater, which is potentially caused by residues in soil. Whereas pesticide residues in soils are well-documented, there are only few studies about metabolite residues.

Adapting to change: Exploring the consequences of climate-induced host plant shifts in two specialist Lepidoptera species.

Asynchronous migration of insect herbivores and their host plants towards higher elevations following climate warming is expected to generate novel plant-insect interactions. While the disassociation of specialised interactions can challenge species' persistence, consequences for specialised low-elevation insect herbivores encountering novel high-elevation plants under climate change remain largely unknown. To explore the ability of two low-elevation Lepidoptera species, and , to undergo shifts from low- to high-elevation host plants, we combined a translocation experiment performed at two elevations in the Swiss Alps with experiments conducted under controlled conditions.

Photoreceptor-induced sinapate synthesis contributes to photoprotection in Arabidopsis.

Plants must balance light capture for photosynthesis with protection from potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Photoprotection is mediated by concerted action of photoreceptors, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we provide evidence that UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) UV-B, phytochrome red, and cryptochrome blue-light photoreceptors converge on the induction of FERULIC ACID 5-HYDROXYLASE 1 (FAH1) that encodes a key enzyme in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, leading to the accumulation of UV-absorbing sinapate esters in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana).

Far-red light increases maize volatile emissions in response to volatile cues from neighbouring plants.

Plants perceive the presence and defence status of their neighbours through light and volatile cues, but how plants integrate both stimuli is poorly understood. We investigated if and how low Red to Far red light (R:FR) ratios, indicative of shading or canopy closure, affect maize (Zea mays) responses to herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), including the green leaf volatile (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. We modulated light signalling and perception by using FR supplementation and a phyB1phyB2 mutant, and we determined volatile release as a response readout.

Legacy effects of premature defoliation in response to an extreme drought event modulate phytochemical profiles with subtle consequences for leaf herbivory in European beech.

Extreme droughts can have long-lasting effects on forest community dynamics and species interactions. Yet, our understanding of how drought legacy modulates ecological relationships is just unfolding. We tested the hypothesis that leaf chemistry and herbivory show long-term responses to premature defoliation caused by an extreme drought event in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.

High-resolution kinetics of herbivore-induced plant volatile transfer reveal clocked response patterns in neighboring plants.

Volatiles emitted by herbivore-attacked plants (senders) can enhance defenses in neighboring plants (receivers), however, the temporal dynamics of this phenomenon remain poorly studied. Using a custom-built, high-throughput proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) system, we explored temporal patterns of volatile transfer and responses between herbivore-attacked and undamaged maize plants. We found that continuous exposure to natural blends of herbivore-induced volatiles results in clocked temporal response patterns in neighboring plants, characterized by an induced terpene burst at the onset of the second day of exposure.

Isolation and Structure Determination of Drought-Induced Multihexose Benzoxazinoids from Maize ().

Benzoxazinoids (BXDs) are plant specialized metabolites exerting a pivotal role in plant nutrition, allelopathy, and defenses. Multihexose benzoxazinoids were previously observed in cereal-based food products such as whole-grain bread. However, their production in plants and exact structure have not been fully elucidated.