Defense Processes Research Articles

Effects of Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei infection on intestinal immune defense and physiological processes of Penaeus vannamei

As the main pathogen causing growth retardation, EHP is considered to be mainly parasitic in the hepatopancreas of shrimp. However, the intestines of shrimp infected with EHP frequently exhibit syndromes such as jejunum and white midgut. Therefore, the challenge experiment was carried out in this study to compare the differences in intestinal histology, digestion and absorption, immune defense and oxidative stress of P. vannamei between the control group and EHP infection group. Histological analysis showed that EHP infection significantly damaged the intestine of the shrimp, including intestinal villus rupture and outer membrane impairment. Concurrently, EHP infection can trigger intestinal immune response, and the expression of key immune genes like Toll, myeloid differentiation factor, anti-lipopolysaccharide factor, and Relish was significantly enhanced, while the expression of IMD and alkaline phosphatase was suppressed. Additionally, antioxidant genes manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 were up-regulated to varying extents in EHP infection group, and the contents of lipid peroxides and malondialdehyde were heavily accumulated. Moreover, the expression levels of key genes involved in nutrient absorption, transport and synthesis, such as glucose transporter 1, Na+-K+ATPase, fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, rapamycin kinase, mTOR regulation-related protein, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein, ribosomal protein S6 kinase, were significantly up-regulated. However, the activities of amylase, lipase, and trypsin were inhibited in EHP infection group throughout the experiment. In summary, EHP infection damaged the intestine of P. vannamei, accompanied by immune response and oxidative stress. At the same time, nutrient transport and synthesis pathways were activated, while digestive enzyme activities were inhibited, indicating that in order to maintain survival, shrimps must accelerate material transport. Unfortunately, it remains in a state of nutrient deficiency that ultimately affects growth.

Influence of antioxidants on the morphological and biochemical composition of blood, antioxidant protection of laying chicks

The research was carried out on the basis of the agricultural production complex “Dur-Dur” (Russian North Ossetia – Alania) on laying hens of the “KOBB-500” cross, of which, at the age of 155 days, when transferred to the parent stock workshop, according to the principle of analogous groups, 4 groups of 100 heads each were formed. The duration of this experiment on laying hens was 10 months. It was found that joint feeding of antioxidants vitamin C at the rate of 500,0 g/t and Erytox at the rate of 125,0 g/t of mixed feed to laying hens of the 4-test group contributed to the improvement of hematopoietic function. Due to the synergism of the action of the tested antioxidants, laying hens of the 4-experimental group were distinguished by better indicators of carbohydrate, protein, lipid and mineral metabolism, which, compared to the control, manifested itself in a significant (P > 0,95) increase in blood serum glucose by 0,53 mmol/l, total protein – by 4,48 g/l, alanine aminotransferase activity – by 5,00 units/l and aspartate aminotransferase – by 5,97 units/l, calcium concentration – by 0,73 mmol/l) and phosphorus – by 0,69 mmol/l with a simultaneous decrease in total lipids – by 0,59 mmol/l (P > 0,95) and cholesterol – by 0,93 mmol/l (P > 0,95). In addition, in laying hens of the 4th experimental group, relative to the control, the body’s antioxidant defense processes were optimized due to an increase in the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the blood by 7,31 % (P > 0,95) and glutathione reductase by 19,96 % (P > 0,95).

Adaptability Analysis of Tuta absoluta to Different Hosts and Related Salivary Genes Identification.

Tuta absoluta is a significant agricultural pest primarily affecting Solanaceae plants, resulting in substantial economic losses in agriculture. Insect saliva is an intermediary between insects and plants, playing a crucial role in modulating host adaptability and plant defense. This study analyzed the adaptive differences of T. absoluta on four plants using the two-sex life table method. Results indicated that the host adaptability of T. absoluta to tobacco is worse than its adaptability to the other three varieties of tomatoes. The salivary gland transcriptome analysis and signal peptide prediction revealed that Trypsin, B5 V51-1498, and Ta74 were highly expressed in the salivary glands of T. absoluta subjected to tobacco treatment and exhibit the characteristics of secretory proteins, alongside significant feeding selection differences. Our findings elucidate the adaptive strategies of T. absoluta larvae on various Solanaceae plants and offer new insights into the salivary protein-mediated plant defense processes.

Melleatin, an antibiofilm multitasking protein with rRNA N-glycosylase and nuclease activity from Armillaria mellea fruiting bodies.

Several studies highlight the identification of some enzymes with additional abilities, especially those involved in metabolic pathways and/or host defence processes, classified as multitasking proteins. In this context, we report the characterization of melleatin (17.5-kDa), a multitasking enzyme isolated from Armillaria mellea fruiting bodies. Melleatin inhibits protein synthesis and displayed unexpected enzymatic action. Indeed, the structural characterization (primary structure and 3D model) showed that melleatin belongs to the His-Me finger endonucleases superfamily possessing a fold like the biofilm-dispersing nuclease NucB, the latter isolated from the marine Bacillus licheniformis. The enzymatic studies on melleatin showed that this enzyme is able to: i) inhibit protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system (IC50 value 16.48±3.71nM); ii) damage rabbit and Trichoderma harzianum ribosomes as a ribosome inactivating protein (β-fragment release after Endo's assay); and iii) hydrolyse DNA. Functionally, melleatin has antibiofilm action and antifungal activity towards T. harzianum and Botrytis cinerea affecting fungal ribosomes, while it does not exhibit cytotoxicity against different human cell lines, being unable to enter the cells. Overall, melleatin represents a novel multitasking protein that could be used as a biotechnological tool for its antibiofilm and antifungal activity or as a toxic component of biomedical bioconstructs.

Innate immune system and molecular elements in freshwater crab: A Mini review

The immune system of freshwater crabs is an intricate network essential for their survival in pathogen-rich environments. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying immune responses in the hemolymph of freshwater crabs. Key components such as hemocytes, antimicrobial peptides, and the prophenoloxidase system are discussed alongside recent advancements in molecular techniques that have facilitated these discoveries. We review some basic aspects of crab effector defense processes, like agglutination, encapsulation, phagocytosis, clottable proteins, and bactericidal activity, induced by these carbohydrate-driven recognition patterns. Understanding these immune defense mechanisms provides insights into invertebrate immunity and has practical implications for aquaculture.

Comprehensive Analysis of β-1,3-Glucanase Genes in Wolfberry and Their Implications in Pollen Development.

β-1,3-Glucanases (Glu) are key enzymes involved in plant defense and physiological processes through the hydrolysis of β-1,3-glucans. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the β-1,3-glucanase gene family in wolfberry (Lycium barbarum), including their chromosomal distribution, evolutionary relationships, and expression profiles. A total of 58 Glu genes were identified, distributed across all 12 chromosomes. Evolutionary analysis revealed six distinct branches within wolfberry and nine distinct branches when compared with Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression analysis showed that 45 Glu genes were expressed in berries, with specific genes also being expressed in flowers and leaves. Notably, LbaGlu28 exhibited significant expression during the tetrad stage of pollen development and was localized in the cell wall. These findings provide valuable insights into the functional significance of Glu genes in wolfberry, highlighting their roles in development and their potential involvement in reproductive processes, particularly in pollen development.

Progress in The Application of CRISPR-Cas9 Combined With Microbial Engineering

CRISPR - Cas9 as the third generation of gene editing techniques, widely exists in prokaryotes, and has been widely applied to clinical and pharmaceutical fields. This article reviews the discovery, immune defense process and mechanism of CRISPR-Cas9 and summarizes its application in microbial cells. Advances include achieving gene editing in E. coli, improving defense against phages, and stabilizing chemical production; It is used to modify the characteristics of lactic acid bacteria and precise genome editing in algae; In terms of viruses, it can be used to treat HIV-1 infection, hemoglobinopathy, etc. Research gaps include less research on the effect of optimal length and selective markers of donor DNA homologous arms on efficiency in bacterial gene editing and insufficient evaluation of potential off-target effects and long-term effects of CRISPR/Cas9 systems in algae. This paper mainly analyzed the application of CRISPR-Cas9 in bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, algae, and viruses, and obtained corresponding research results. It provides a theoretical basis and a new idea for the research in the field of microbiology, but there are still some problems to be solved, and future research can focus on optimizing the system, reducing the off-target rate, and improving the editing efficiency.

Legal Vacuums in the Submission of Notary Protocols

This research discusses the legal protection of the immunity rights of advocates in the context of law enforcement in Indonesia. Advocate immunity is a legal guarantee provided to advocates to perform their duties independently and without fear of interference from others. This immunity is essential to ensure that advocates can provide effective legal defense for their clients without worrying about legal repercussions that could hinder the defense process. However, the implementation of advocate immunity rights in Indonesia still faces various challenges, including the potential for abuse of immunity and a lack of understanding among law enforcement regarding the limits of advocate immunity. In this article, the authors analyze the laws and regulations governing the rights of advocate immunity, as well as practical issues in the field related to the protection of these rights. By employing a normative approach and case analysis, this article offers recommendations to enhance legal protection of advocate immunity rights in the law enforcement process in Indonesia, alongside emphasizing the importance of education for law enforcement and the public regarding advocates' rights.

Investigating the Role of IL-17A gene rs2275913 Variant in Rosacea: In Silico Analysis Suggests Further Studies

Interleukine-17 (IL-17), a crucial component of the body's immune response against pathogens, is also implicated in various inflammatory processes. Notably, the skin of rosacea patients exhibits chronic inflammation, and IL-17 is known to induce the production of additional pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines. This inflammatory cascade can contribute to the hallmark features of rosacea, including dilated blood vessels, immune cell infiltration, and the development of papules and pustules. The study aimed to examine whether a specific genetic variation in the IL-17A gene (-197 G>A; rs2275913) is associated with rosacea susceptibility. We compared the IL-17A variant and rosacea risk in 31 healthy individuals and 25 with rosacea. Genotyping of the IL-17A variant was performed using the PCR-RFLP method. Genotype and allele frequency distributions were compared across groups using the chi-square test (χ2). Additionally, gene ontology (GO) analysis of the IL-17A gene using web-based tools is also demonstrated. No significant association between the rs2275913 polymorphism and rosacea susceptibility was observed in this study (p=0.124) but in silico analysis suggested that the IL-17A gene interaction network might play a role in the disease. Given its critical function in regulating IL-17A and related genes, particularly in immune defense and inflammatory processes, further investigation into its potential influence on rosacea development is required.

Unveiling the Virulence Mechanism of Leptosphaeria maculans in the Brassica napus Interaction: The Key Role of Sirodesmin PL in Cell Death Induction.

Leptosphaeria maculans is the causal agent of blackleg disease in Brassica napus, leading to substantial yield losses. Sirodesmin PL, the principal toxin produced by L. maculans, has been implicated in the infective process in plants. However, the precise molecular and physiological mechanisms governing its effects remain elusive. This study investigates the changes induced by Sirodesmin PL at the transcriptomic, physiological, and morphological levels in B. napus cotyledons. Sirodesmin PL treatment upregulates genes associated with plant defense processes, including response to chitin, sulfur compound biosynthesis, toxin metabolism, oxidative stress response, and jasmonic acid/ethylene synthesis and signaling. Validation of these transcriptomic changes is evidenced by several typical defense response processes, such as the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and callose deposition. Concomitantly, oxidized Sirodesmin PL induces concentration- and exposure duration-dependent cell death. This cellular death is likely attributed to diminished activity of photosystem II and a reduction in the number of chloroplasts per cell. In agreement, a down-regulation of genes associated with the photosynthesis process is observed following Sirodesmin PL treatment. Thus, it is plausible that L. maculans exploits Sirodesmin PL as a virulence factor to instigate cell death in B. napus during its necrotrophic stage, favoring the infective process.

Emotion regulation in self-injurious youth: A tale of two circuits.

Two emotion regulation (ER) networks, the amygdala and ventral striatum (VS) circuits underpin defensive and reward processes related to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Youth who engaged in non-suicidal self-injury behavior (NSSIB) and healthy controls either watched images passively (passive condition) or increased their positive affect during positive/neutral images and decreased their negative affect during negative and self-harm images (regulate condition) in the scanner. NSSI youth showed higher amygdala to precuneus and inferior parietal lobe (IPL) connectivity while regulating emotions during self-harm images, a pattern which was associated with higher self-injury frequency. NSSI youth showed higher VS connectivity to the fusiform gyrus and parahippocampus while regulating emotions elicited by self-harm and positive images, which was in turn linked to higher self-harm frequency and relief after NSSI. Higher amygdala-precuneus and IPL connectivity in NSSI youth suggest greater self-identification with, or difficulty regulating negative affect elicited by, self-injury images. High VS-fusiform gyrus and parahippocampus connectivity during positive and self-harm images implies reward anomalies and/or greater effort to regulate positive affect. VS circuit's' links to relief and NSSIB frequency suggest VS reward-based learning as biomarker of NSSIB endurance. We discovered ER mechanisms in adolescents with NSSIB and promising targets for effective NSSIB treatment.

Automated threat detection and response using LLM agents

The increase of cyber threats from individual cases to a worldwide problem is the reason why people have shifted their cybersecurity perspectives. Basic defense processes, originally well understood and effective, fail to match modern attacks’ complexity and velocity. Taking into consideration LLMs as a recent addition to AI, this paper aims at discussing their application in integrating threat detection and response automation systems. As a result, LLMs, which have higher capabilities for natural language processing, deliver a revolutionary perspective regarding cybersecurity. Since LLM agents can review massive amounts of security data, distinguish patterns, and create contextually appropriate responses, they can bridge the gap between emerging threats and stable security systems. The paper examines the tools used by LLM agents, such as natural language processing to analyse the logs, contextual anomaly detection, pattern identification in network traffic, and the analysis of the user’s behaviour. Also, it describes how LLM agents can support automated threat handling in the context of threat identification, alert prioritization, context-driven response generation, security policy enforcement, and threat handling. The integration of LLM agents into already known systems, including SIEM systems and AI-Ops platforms, is also considered, which allows for further conclusions on the opportunities to create proactive cybersecurity systems. However, open dilemmas such as adversarial attacks and interpretability are still present, the future for LLM agents in cybersecurity is still bright, and there are more possibilities in multi-modal threat analysis and quantum-safe LLM-based cryptography.

Repurposed Drugs and Plant-Derived Natural Products as Potential Host-Directed Therapeutic Candidates for Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of death due to infectious disease. It is a treatable disease; however, conventional treatment requires a lengthy treatment regimen with severe side effects, resulting in poor compliance among TB patients. Intermittent drug use, the non-compliance of patients, and prescription errors, among other factors, have led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant TB, while the mismanagement of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) has eventually led to the development of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Thus, there is an urgent need for new drug development, but due to the enormous expenses and time required (up to 20 years) for new drug research and development, new therapeutic approaches to TB are required. Host-directed therapies (HDT) could be a most attractive strategy, as they target the host defense processes instead of the microbe and thereby may prevent the alarming rise of MDR- and XDR-TB. This paper reviews the progress in HDT for the treatment of TB using repurposed drugs which have been investigated in clinical trials (completed or ongoing) and plant-derived natural products that are in clinical or preclinical trial stages. Additionally, this review describes the existing challenges to the development and future research directions in the implementation of HDT.

The Potential of Plant Extracts Used in Cosmetic Product Applications-Antioxidants Delivery and Mechanism of Actions.

Natural ingredients have been used in skincare products for thousands of years. The current focus is on novel natural bioactivities that shield the skin from UV rays and free radicals, among other damaging elements, while enhancing skin health. Free radicals significantly contribute to skin damage and hasten ageing by interfering with defence and restorative processes. Plants contain natural chemicals that can scavenge free radicals and have antioxidant capabilities. Plant materials are becoming increasingly popular as natural antioxidants related to the expanding interest in plant chemistry. This review focuses on the significance of medicinal plants in skin health and ageing and their potential as a source of antioxidant substances such as vitamins, polyphenols, stilbenes, flavonoids, and methylxanthines.

IPEC-J2 Autophagy Induced by TLR4 and NSP6 Interactions Facilitate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Replication.

Autophagy is an important cellular response against intracellular pathogens. However, some viruses have evolved mechanisms to hijack this defensive process to provide favorable conditions for virus replication in host cells. The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has been shown to alter autophagy pathways; however, it is still unknown through which receptors PEDV induces autophagy in IPEC-J2 cells, whether autophagy facilitates PEDV replication, and which functional domains of PEDV proteins are primarily responsible for inducing autophagy. Here, we found that PEDV infection induces autophagy in host cells via distinct and uncoupled molecular pathways. RNA-seq technology was used to analyze the expression patterns of intracellular genes in PEDV-infected IPEC-J2 cells using transcriptomics. The results demonstrate that PEDV triggers autophagy via the cellular pathogen receptor TLR4 and the AKT-mTOR pathway. As evidenced by autophagosome detection, PEDV infection increases autophagosomes and light chain 3 (LC3)-II as well as downregulated AKT-mTOR phosphorylation. Our study revealed that the binding of the viral protein NSP61-2C (56-151aa) to TLR4 triggers autophagy and inactivates the AKT-mTOR pathway, both of which are critical for facilitating PEDV infection. Through screening and analysis, TLR4 was found to be a key gene involved in PEDV-induced autophagy. The screening of the key functional domains of NSP6 (56-151aa) for their ability to induce autophagy in IPEC-J2 cells provided a basis for the in-depth analysis of the pathogenic mechanism of PEDV infection-induced autophagy and promotion of self-replication and also provided an important target for the study of PEDV antiviral drugs. In conclusion, we elucidated that the PEDV infection of IPEC-J2 cells could induce autophagy and found that PEDV could use autophagy to promote its own replication.

Preventing malware propagation in wireless sensor networks: Hybrid optimization algorithm for controlling

Malware transmission is a significant security issue in WSN, however, the influence of the attack and defensive processes on malware propagation is rarely taken into account in traditional malware propagation prevention methods. Advanced methods are in need to stop the propagation of malware of sensor nodes. With the formulation of representing dynamics among states, a new decision-making problem as the optimal control problem via hybrid optimization algorithm. The proposing model is termed as Butterfly Updated Bald Eagle Optimization based Prevention of Malware Propagation in Wireless Sensor Network (BUBEO-PMPWSN). In the proposed controlling system, optimal system parameters are analyzed via the BUBEO for preventing malware propagation in WSN. Particularly, the sensor node states considered are Susceptible, Infectious, Infectious and sleeping, recovered, Recovered and sleeping, and finally Dead. The system parameter tuning will be under the evaluation of fitness calculation under probability of infectious sensor node becoming recovered and the probability of infectious sensor node entering sleeping state. This optimal tuning strategy ensures the preventing of malware propagation. Finally, the performance of proposed BUBEO-PMPWSN model is evaluated and validated successfully by comparing other state-of-the-art models. The BUBEO-PMPWSN achieved 250 recovered nodes for time 500, while the HGS, BOA, HBA, COOT, and HHO scored 123, 115, 236, 172, and 180, respectively, for recovered nodes.

Multigenerational impact of global change: Increased mercury toxicity in a marine copepod

A multi-generational experiment (F1-F4) was conducted for a marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus to investigate its physiological and molecular responses to mercury (Hg) pollution and/or its combination with ocean acidification (OA) plus ocean warming (OW). The projected future scenario, i.e., OA plus OW (AW) significantly increased methylmercury accumulation in copepods by 1.14 times, despite insignificant change for total Hg bioaccumulation. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that copepods initiated several detoxification defense processes, including reactive oxygen species metabolic process, glutathione metabolism, and protein refolding, in response to increased Hg toxicity under combined exposure of AW and Hg; meanwhile, inhibited energy metabolism was observed in this case, linking to reduced number of nauplii/clutch but accelerated development in copepods probably due to an energetic trade-off. Increased Hg toxicity due to AW could also be ascribed to the impairment in immune defense (e.g., lysosome and vitamin metabolism) and reproduction-related processes (e.g., growth factor activity). Collectively, this study reveals the multi-generational response mechanism of copepods to Hg pollution under global change, emphasizing an exacerbated adverse effect of Hg, and it provides a scientific basis for an accurate understanding of the potential impact of Hg pollution on marine ecosystems.

A novel antimicrobial peptide CpAMP identified from Chinese horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus

Antibacterial peptide (AMP) is a crucial component of the innate immune system in most organism, play an important role in host defense processes. Many of these peptides have broad antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative, -positive bacteria and fungi. In the present study, a novel AMP named CpAMP was identified using transcriptome analysis in Chinese horseshoe crab. The preprotein of CpAMP consists of a signal peptide (21 aa) and a mature peptide (47 aa) enriched by cysteine. And the putative mature peptide CpAMP was 4.95 kDa with a theoretical isoelectric point (pI) of 8.73. The mature CpAMP showed α-helix and irregularly curled structure in the cys-stabilized region. CpAMP exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative, -positive bacteria and antibiotic-resistant strains. In addition, CpAMP can significantly increase the survival rate of zebrafish infected with bacteria. Due to its broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and the sensitivity of drug-resistant strains, CpAMP could be used as a new type of drug for inhibition of pathogenic microorganisms or as an immune enhancer in animals.

Evidence that cadmium aggravate the toxicity of triphenyl phosphate in aquatic sediments to Corbicula fluminea

The ubiquitous co-existence of triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) and heavy metals in sediments raises significant biotoxicity concerns. However, uncertainty still exists regarding their combined toxicity to benthic organisms. Therefore, this research was conducted to elucidate the influences of cadmium (Cd) on TPhP toxicity to Corbicula fluminea (C. fluminea) in sediments. As a result, Cd promoted the accumulation of TPhP in C. fluminea and enhanced TPhP toxicity, manifested by damaged cell membranes and pronounced histological alterations. Molecular docking revealed that TPhP-Cd complexes exhibit greater binding affinity to cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) compared to TPhP alone. With the activity of CYP1A1 increasing, the biotransformation of TPhP was promoted in low-TPhP+Cd treatments (T5C0/T5C5/T5C35). Additionally, metabolites related to antioxidant defence and repair processes were reinforced to alleviate the toxicity of TPhP and Cd. However, excessive oxidative stress impaired the CYP1A1 activity in high-TPhP+Cd treatments (T35C0/T35C5/T35C35). Furthermore, metabolic pathway analysis revealed significant perturbations in the citrate cycle, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, purine metabolism, and pyrimidine metabolism. These disruptions weakened the repair capacity and aggravated apoptosis in digestive glands, potentially contributing to the synergistic toxicity of TPhP and Cd. The results highlight the ecological risks posed by TPhP in combination with heavy metals to benthic organisms.

The Cost of Self-Defense: Browsing Effects in the Rare Plant Species Salix arizonica.

Coevolution between plants and their animal predators has led to diverse defensive adaptations. Multiple theories of defense propose that there are resource allocation costs associated with producing chemical defenses. One leading hypothesis, optimal defense theory (ODT), suggests that natural selection will result in the allocation of resources to defenses that optimize the cost-to-benefit ratio between defense and other functional processes. The population decline of the rare subalpine wetland species, Arizona willow (Salix arizonica), has been attributed to various biotic and abiotic factors, with browsing from wild and domestic ungulates as a significant concern for at least three decades. In a field experiment using natural populations, we compare the relationship between phytochemical defense and height in Arizona willows with and without long-term protection from browsing via browse exclosures. Consistent with the predictions of ODT, individuals with physical protection from ungulate browsing for multiple years had significantly lower phenolic glycoside (PG) concentrations and increased plant height compared to unprotected individuals. A similar pattern was found across all individuals, whereby total PG concentration and height were negatively correlated. In a short-term experiment in natural populations, changes in levels of defense were not observed when plants received protection for only one growing season. The contrasting pattern of defense plasticity in response to long-term versus short-term physical protection suggests a differential plastic response in this long-lived species. Delayed reduction in PG concentration may serve as a benefit to avoid mismatches between environmental cues and responses. Our research sheds light on the intricate dynamics between plant-defense strategies, environmental pressures, and evolutionary adaptations in shaping plant-browser interactions.