Diversity of nectar amino acids in the Fritillaria (Liliaceae) genus: ecological and evolutionary implications

Katarzyna Roguz,Marcin Zych,Agata Roguz,Andrzej Bajguz,Magdalena Chmur,Agnieszka Gołębiewska

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-51170-4

Katarzyna Roguz, Marcin Zych + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51170-4

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Oct 23, 2019
Citations: 14	License type: open-access

Affiliation: University of Warsaw, University of Białystok

Abstract

Nectar is considered to be a primary food reward for most pollinators. It mostly contains sugars, but also has amino acids. The significance of the concentration and composition of amino acids in nectar is often less understood than that of its volume, sugar concentration and composition. However, there is a trend towards a broader approach in ecological research, which helps to understand nectar properties in an ecological context. The genus Fritillaria, exhibiting great diversity in flower morphology, nectar composition, and dominant pollinators, allows for the possibility to study some of the above. We studied the concentration and composition of amino acids in the nectar of 38 Fritillaria species attracting different groups of pollen vectors (bees, flies, passerines, and hummingbirds). The flowers of fritillaries produced nectar with a varying composition and concentration of amino acids. These differences were mostly associated with the pollinator type. The nectar of passerine bird-pollinated species was rich in amino acids, whereas humming bird-pollinated produced low amino acid nectar. Contrary to previous reports nectar of the insect-pollinated species did not contain a higher amount of proline. Two non-protein amino acids, sarcosine and norvaline, were detected in the floral nectar for the first time.

Highlights

Magdalena Chmur[2], Agnieszka Gołębiewska[2], Nectar is considered to be a primary food reward for most pollinators
Thirty amino acids (AAs) compounds or groups of AAs compounds in varying proportions were found in the floral nectar of studied fritillaries (Table 1)
The mean number of different AAs found in Fritillaria nectar (2323), corresponds well with a similar analysis performed on other taxa[22,36,37,38]

Summary

Introduction

Magdalena Chmur[2], Agnieszka Gołębiewska[2], Nectar is considered to be a primary food reward for most pollinators. Plants pollinated by bees and hummingbirds contain a lower AA concentration, whereas butterfly or passerine bird-pollinated flowers produce nectar that is rich in AAs9,10. A recent analysis of functional flower trait diversity showed that among various floral characteristics, the concentration of nectar AAs is one of the most important traits shaping plant-pollinator interactions[13]. This may be due to the fact that as an essential source of nitrogen for mutualists nectar AAs4 contribute to the taste of the nectar and stimulate the chemosensory receptors of insects[2]. Nonessential amino acids (NEAAs) may play an important role, incorporated from the adult diet into the eggs of butterflies may improve reproductive success of butterflies under suboptimal larval conditions[11]

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