Secreted pitfall-trap fluid of carnivorous Nepenthes plants is unsuitable for microbial growth.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes possess modified leaves that form pitfall traps in order to capture prey, mainly arthropods, to make additional nutrients available for the plant. These pitchers contain a digestive fluid due to the presence of hydrolytic enzymes. In this study, the composition of the digestive fluid was further analysed with regard to mineral nutrients and low molecular-weight compounds. A potential contribution of microbes to the composition of pitcher fluid was investigated.

Methods

Fluids from closed pitchers were harvested and analysed for mineral nutrients using analytical techniques based on ion-chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Secondary metabolites were identified by a combinatio

SUBMITTER: Buch F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3579442 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature