UPLC-MS/MS analysis and biological activity of the potato cyst nematode hatching stimulant, solanoeclepin A, in the root exudate of Solanum spp.

Alessandra Guerrieri,Kristýna Floková,Gertjan Kramer,Harro J Bouwmeester,Lieke E Vlaar,Lemeng Dong,Aleksandra Chojnacka,Mario L Schilder,Yannick R Van Dijk

doi:10.1007/s00425-021-03766-2

Alessandra Guerrieri, Kristýna Floková + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-021-03766-2

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Abstract

Main conclusionSolanoeclepin A is a hatching stimulant for potato cyst nematode in very low (pM) concentrations. We report a highly sensitive method for the analysis of SolA in plant root exudates using UHPLC-MS/MS and show that there is considerable natural variation in SolA production in Solanum spp. corresponding with their hatching inducing activity.Potato cyst nematode (PCN) is a plant root sedentary endoparasite, specialized in the infection of solanaceous species such as potato (Solanum tuberosum) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Earlier reports (Mulder et al. in Hatching agent for the potato cyst nematode, Patent application No. PCT/NL92/00126, 1996; Schenk et al. in Croat Chem Acta 72:593–606, 1999) showed that solanoeclepin A (SolA), a triterpenoid metabolite that was isolated from the root exudate of potato, induces the hatching of PCN. Its low concentration in potato root exudate has hindered progress in fully understanding its hatching inducing activity and exploitation in the control of PCN. To further investigate the role of SolA in hatching of PCN, the establishment of a highly sensitive analytical method is a prerequisite. Here we present the efficient single-step extraction and UHPLC-MS/MS based analysis for rapid determination of SolA in sub-nanomolar concentrations in tomato root exudate. This method was used to analyze SolA production in different tomato cultivars and related solanaceous species, including the trap crop Solanum sisymbriifolium. Hatching assays with PCN, Globodera pallida, with root exudates of tomato genotypes revealed a significant positive correlation between SolA concentration and hatching activity. Our results demonstrate that there is natural variation in SolA production within solanaceous species and that this has an effect on PCN hatching. The analytical method we have developed can potentially be used to support breeding for crop genotypes that induce less hatching and may therefore display reduced infection by PCN.

Highlights

Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs), Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis, are plant parasitic nematodes and form one of the most damaging pests for solanaceous species, including economically valuable crops such as potato, tomato and eggplant (Perry et al 2018)
By comparing the solanoeclepin A (SolA) concentration in root exudates of different solanaceous species with the hatching response of the PCN G. pallida we show evidence of the importance of SolA in determining the hatching activity of these species
In a linear 9 min gradient with 15 mM formic acid in the mobile phase, SolA was detected as a late-eluting broadened asymmetrical peak using the CSH column

Summary

Introduction

Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs), Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis, are plant parasitic nematodes and form one of the most damaging pests for solanaceous species, including economically valuable crops such as potato, tomato and eggplant (Perry et al 2018). The most active hatching stimulant so far isolated from potato root exudate was coined solanoeclepin A by Mulder et al (1996) (Fig. 1) The structure of this compound was further described in 1999 by Schenk et al (1999). SolA is a triterpenoid acid with a similar structure as the hatching stimulants of soybean cyst nematode, reported in kidney bean, glycinoeclepin

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