CARNIVOROUS PLANTS CAN BE USEFUL IN SEVERAL INDUSTRIES
Long-term research of carnivorous plant enzymes is expanding with new goals and methodological procedures at the Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology of Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre (CBRB SAV, v. v. i.) in Nitra. Two newly acquired projects will enable a deeper investigation of the digestive enzymes of these plants, as well as the process of their creation and the connection with the development of leaves and trapping organs.
Carnivorous plants have evolved a wide range of different strategies to obtain nutrients from captured insects: from leaves adapted to catch prey, to visual and olfactory lures, to the production of digestive enzymes. Species from the Drosera genus secrete a rich mixture of digestive enzymes through petiole glands on the leaves - the so-called tentacles, which also serve to catch prey. Droseras also occur naturally in Slovakia and are the subject of research at the CBRB SAV, v.v.i. In Nitra.
"In the current APVV project, we will test the effect of specific enzymes on the growth of selected fungal and bacterial agents of plant diseases, as the mentioned enzymes can degrade the components of the cell walls of these organisms. At the same time, we will investigate selected stages of leaf development, the formation of trapping organs and the production of hydrolytic enzymes," says Monika Danchenko from the Plant Genetics and Biotechnology of Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre and the project co-researcher.
The second project expands this research by studying another enzyme, a unique protease from the Drosera binata. This is a project within the call for Fellowships for excellent researchers R2-R4.
"We want to obtain this enzyme in a purified active form in large quantities, reveal its characterization and test its properties to gain as much knowledge as possible about how it works in the plant. We will then apply the enzyme to the insect prey and analyse what substrate it cleaves, what its end products are and what its biological function is. The results of these analyses will indicate what the use of the enzyme could be in various industrial branches, be it in the food industry, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals or others,” adds Monika Danchenko.
Edited by: Monika Tináková
Photo: CBRB SAV, v. v. i.