Plants: The Master Chemists of Our Plane

ABSTRACT 摘要?

“想象一下帝牡，你的雙腿被埋在地里婴洼，不能走動(dòng)海蔽，也不能說(shuō)話钥组，你會(huì)如何吃東西输硝，如何生長(zhǎng)發(fā)育，又如何保衛(wèi)自己呢程梦？這種情況比你想象中更常見(jiàn)：這是植物日常生活中的一部分点把。植物已經(jīng)發(fā)展出了許多應(yīng)對(duì)策略，這些策略不僅僅是為了他們自身的生存屿附，更是為了與周圍的動(dòng)植物和微生物相互作用郎逃。其中一些策略包含運(yùn)用一些化合物作為植物向周圍環(huán)境傳遞的信息⊥Ψ荩科學(xué)家們已經(jīng)研制出了一些創(chuàng)造性的方法來(lái)檢測(cè)一株植物里含有什么樣的化學(xué)物質(zhì)褒翰，以及這些化學(xué)物質(zhì)的含量到底有多少。如果我們可以把多樣化的植物化合物都辨識(shí)出來(lái)，在未來(lái)我們或許能夠更好地理解植物是如何生長(zhǎng)的优训，以及它們是如何與環(huán)境相互作用的朵你。同時(shí)，我們也許能夠運(yùn)用這些化合物制造藥物和生產(chǎn)更健康揣非、更美味的蔬菜抡医。”

Imagine your legs were buried in the ground and you were not able to move or to talk. What would you do to eat, grow, and defend yourself? This situation is more common than you think: It is part of the daily life of plants. Plants have developed many strategies not only to survive, but also to interact with other plants, animals, and microorganisms around them. Some of these strategies involve using chemical compounds that work as messages from the plant to its surroundings. Scientists have developed creative methods to estimate what and how much of a chemical is inside a plant. If we can identify the great diversity of plant compounds, in the future we might be able to better understand how plants grow and interact with their environments. Also, we may be able to use those compounds to make medicines and to produce healthier, tastier vegetables.

植物產(chǎn)生化學(xué)物質(zhì)維持自身生長(zhǎng)早敬，同時(shí)與周圍環(huán)境相互作用

PLANTS PRODUCE CHEMICALS TO GROW AND INTERACT WITH THEIR SURROUNDINGS

植物是固著的（sessile）魂拦，這就意味著它們不能自己隨意移動(dòng)，并永遠(yuǎn)受限于它們發(fā)芽的地方搁嗓。隨著植物的生長(zhǎng)芯勘，它們必須每時(shí)每刻承受周圍環(huán)境的變化（時(shí)而干燥，時(shí)而過(guò)于濕潤(rùn)）腺逛。想一想不同季節(jié)的變化或白天晚上的不同天氣狀況荷愕。而且還遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不止這些，植物也需要一些策略與鄰居（動(dòng)植物）相互作用棍矛，需要吸引動(dòng)物來(lái)幫助它們傳播種子或把它們的花粉傳播到另一株植物里安疗。其中一項(xiàng)策略便是植物會(huì)分泌大量的化學(xué)物質(zhì)，這種化學(xué)物質(zhì)被稱為“代謝產(chǎn)物”够委。植物代謝產(chǎn)物是可以促進(jìn)植物生長(zhǎng)和與其他生物體相互作用的微量化學(xué)物質(zhì)荐类。

據(jù)估計(jì)，所有植物加起來(lái)會(huì)產(chǎn)生10萬(wàn)到100萬(wàn)種代謝產(chǎn)物茁帽。為了研究它們玉罐，科學(xué)家們把代謝產(chǎn)物分成兩類：初級(jí)代謝產(chǎn)物（primary metabolites）和專有代謝產(chǎn)物（specialized?metabolites）。初級(jí)代謝產(chǎn)物可在所有植物中尋得潘拨，它能幫助植物的生長(zhǎng)發(fā)育和繁殖吊输。其中一組最為熟知的初級(jí)代謝產(chǎn)物是碳水化合物，它可以給植物提供能量以促進(jìn)植物生長(zhǎng)铁追。專有代謝產(chǎn)物對(duì)各種各樣的植物而言是獨(dú)一無(wú)二的季蚂，它可以幫助植物與其他生物體相互作用，在文章的剩余部分我們將把目光聚焦在專有代謝產(chǎn)物中進(jìn)行討論琅束。

你是否曾想過(guò)植物是如何保衛(wèi)自己的扭屁？植物與食草（以植物為食）昆蟲(chóng)一起生活了數(shù)百萬(wàn)年，在這漫長(zhǎng)的歲月中涩禀，植物已經(jīng)進(jìn)化出有毒的防御化合物料滥。例如：當(dāng)一只昆蟲(chóng)開(kāi)始吃卷心菜的葉子，植物會(huì)增加有毒專有代謝產(chǎn)物的含量埋泵，這些有毒專有代謝產(chǎn)物被稱為“硫代葡萄糖苷”幔欧。它會(huì)在之后轉(zhuǎn)化成毒性更強(qiáng)的化合物罪治，這些化合物會(huì)使卷心菜葉子嘗起來(lái)味道不怎么好，從而阻止昆蟲(chóng)繼續(xù)吃它們礁蔗。硫代葡萄糖苷于我們而言是非常熟悉的觉义，正是它們賦予了西蘭花和蘿卜獨(dú)特的味道。與此同時(shí)浴井，昆蟲(chóng)也開(kāi)創(chuàng)了忍受這些有毒化合物的方法晒骇，使它們能夠繼續(xù)吃那些“有毒”的植物。這種植物和昆蟲(chóng)之間持續(xù)不斷的戰(zhàn)斗導(dǎo)致了新型專有代謝產(chǎn)物的進(jìn)化磺浙。

Plants are sessile, which means they cannot move and are permanently restricted to the spot where they germinate. As plants grow, they must cope with an environment that changes all the time (sometimes too dry, some others too wet). Think of the changes in seasons, or the different weather conditions throughout the day and night. As if that is not enough, plants also need to have strategies to interact with their neighbors, to attract animals that help them move their seeds or pollen from one place to another, and to defend themselves from animals that want to eat them. One of the strategies that plants use to do all of that is to produce a great number of chemicals, known as?metabolites.Plant metabolites are small chemical compounds that help plants grow and interact with other organisms.

It is estimated that, taken together, all plants produce between 100,000 and 1 million metabolites [1]. To study them, scientists have classified the metabolites into two groups: primary and specialized metabolites. Primary metabolites are found in all plants and help the plants grow, develop and reproduce. One of the most well-known groups of primary metabolites are carbohydrates, which provide plants with energy to grow. Specialized metabolites are unique to different plants and they help plants interact with other organisms. We will focus on specialized metabolites in the remainder of this article.

Have you ever wondered how a plant can defend itself? Plants and herbivore (plant-eating) insects have lived together for millions of years, and during this long time, plants have developed toxic defense compounds. For example, when an insect starts eating the leaves of a cabbage, the plant increases the amounts of toxic specialized metabolites called?glucosinolates, which are then converted into even more toxic compounds [2]. These compounds make the cabbage’s leaves taste very unpleasant, discouraging the insects from eating them (Figure 1A). Glucosinolates are very familiar to us, as they give broccoli and radishes their characteristic flavors. At the same time, insects have created ways to tolerate those toxic compounds, allowing them to keep eating those “poisonous” plants. This continuous battle between plants and insects has resulted in the evolution of new specialized metabolites.

圖1-植物是如何以及為什么產(chǎn)生專有代謝產(chǎn)物可以幫助我們研發(fā)新型藥物和農(nóng)業(yè)資源

（A）植物利用專有代謝產(chǎn)物使其遠(yuǎn)離敵人（食草動(dòng)物）和朋友（傳粉者）洪囤。

（B）人類已經(jīng)學(xué)會(huì)利用植物代謝產(chǎn)物為我們?cè)谒幬铩⒒瘖y品和食物中謀福撕氧。

（C）有時(shí)瘤缩，專有代謝產(chǎn)物會(huì)有意想不到的結(jié)果，如貓薄荷中的荊芥內(nèi)酯對(duì)貓的影響伦泥。

Figure 1 - Understanding how and why plants make specialized metabolites may help us develop new medicines and agricultural resources.

(A)?Plants use specialized metabolites to keep enemies (herbivores) away and friends (pollinators) nearby.?(B)?Humans have learned to use specialized plant metabolites for our own benefit in medicines, cosmetics, and foods.?(C)?Sometimes, specialized metabolites have unexpected effects, like those that the nepetalactones in catnip have on cats.

在其他情況下剥啤，植物需要吸引動(dòng)物來(lái)為它們的花授粉，以便它們能夠產(chǎn)生種子以保證它們的繁殖（圖1A）不脯。傳粉者不僅在植物繁殖中不可或缺府怯，而且對(duì)人類也尤為重要，因?yàn)槭澜缟?5%的食物作物是依賴于傳粉者的幫助下才能繁殖成功的防楷。植物吸引傳粉者的其中一項(xiàng)策略是分泌出一種富含糖分的液體牺丙，我們把這種液體稱為花蜜。蜜蜂及其他昆蟲(chóng)會(huì)停留在植物上吸食花蜜复局，在吸食花蜜的同時(shí)冲簿，花粉會(huì)附著在它們身體表面。當(dāng)同一只昆蟲(chóng)停留在其他花朵時(shí)肖揣，前一朵花的花粉就會(huì)在新的花朵中被釋放出來(lái)民假，從而保證了種子在未來(lái)的萌發(fā)。這樣龙优，植物就利用造訪的昆蟲(chóng)為自身謀取利益。有趣的是事秀，花蜜里不僅含有糖分彤断，而且還含有少量的咖啡因。如果咖啡因的含量高易迹，花蜜的味道就會(huì)偏苦澀宰衙，它就可以作為植物自身防御的化合物。然而睹欲，當(dāng)含量較低時(shí)供炼，它可以作為一種記憶增強(qiáng)劑一屋，刺激昆蟲(chóng)記得回來(lái)獲取更多的花蜜，進(jìn)一步確保植物的授粉進(jìn)程袋哼。

In other cases, plants need to attract animals to pollinate their flowers so that they can produce seeds to secure their reproduction (Figure 1A). Pollinators are not only essential for plant reproduction, but they are also important for humans, as 75% of the world’s food crops depend on pollinators for successful production [3]. One of the strategies plants use to attract pollinators is to produce a sugary liquid called nectar. Bees and other insects visit plants to drink the nectar and while doing so, pollen attaches to their bodies. When the same insect visits other flowers, the pollen from the previous plants is released in the new flower, securing future seed production. In this way, plants use the visiting insects for their own benefit. Interesting fact: scientists have found that nectar does not only contain sugar, but also small amounts of caffeine [4]. In high amounts, caffeine is bitter, and it works as a plant defense compound. However, in low amounts, it acts as a memory enhancer, stimulating insects to remember to come back for more nectar and further ensuring the plant’s pollination process.

人類和其他動(dòng)物利用植物產(chǎn)生的化學(xué)物質(zhì)

HUMANS (AND OTHER ANIMALS) USE CHEMICALS PRODUCED BY PLANTS

人類和其他動(dòng)物已經(jīng)學(xué)會(huì)了利用植物產(chǎn)生的化學(xué)物質(zhì)為它們自身謀取利益冀墨。自古以來(lái)，人們用植物代謝產(chǎn)物制作藥物涛贯、天然染色劑诽嘉、食品和化妝品的原料以及許多其他用途。（圖1B）

Humans and other animals have learned to use chemicals produced by plants for their own benefit. Since ancient times, people have used plant metabolites as medicines, natural dyes, and ingredients in food and cosmetics, amongst many other uses (Figure 1B).

阿片（opium）是最古老的植物提取物之一弟翘，是從罌粟科罌粟屬植物（俗稱罌粟）中提取出來(lái)的混合化合物虫腋。它曾被用作被蛇、蜘蛛咬傷或被蝎子蜇傷的解毒藥稀余。如今悦冀，嗎啡（在阿片眾多化學(xué)物質(zhì)中的其中一種化學(xué)物質(zhì)）是被用來(lái)減輕痛苦的處方藥物。皂素是另一個(gè)廣為人知的植物化合物被人類利用的例子睛琳。皂素存在于不同種類的植物和樹(shù)木中盒蟆，它們會(huì)分泌出令人作嘔的化合物從而昆蟲(chóng)會(huì)對(duì)其遠(yuǎn)離而吃不到葉子。世界各地的土著人也都會(huì)普遍利用這些含有豐饒?jiān)硭刂参锏奶崛∥镏谱魈烊幌阍怼?/p>

One of the oldest plant extracts is opium, a mix of chemical compounds extracted?from the plant?Papaver somniferum, commonly known as the poppy, which was used as an antidote against snake and spider bites?and scorpion stings. Today, morphine, one of the many chemicals found in opium, is prescribed to alleviate pain.?Saponins?are another well-known example of plant compounds used by humans. Saponins are present in a variety of different plants and trees, where they work as nasty compounds that keep insects away from eating plants’ leaves (Figure 1A) [5]. Also, indigenous people from around the world have commonly use saponin-rich plant extracts as natural soap.

植物代謝產(chǎn)物也可以影響其他動(dòng)物的行為掸掏。貓薄荷（Nepeta cataria）會(huì)產(chǎn)生一種被稱為荊芥內(nèi)酯（nepetalactone）的化合物邪乍。當(dāng)貓咪靠近去聞這種植物時(shí)，會(huì)變得十分愛(ài)嬉戲和心曠神怡（圖1C）饭尝。荊芥內(nèi)酯通常與植物的防御有密切聯(lián)系俘陷，然而科學(xué)家們也還未能完全明白它的角色。在未來(lái)的研究中愿待，研究植物是如何產(chǎn)生荊芥內(nèi)酯的浩螺，可以幫助科學(xué)家研發(fā)具有鎮(zhèn)定和放松特性的新型藥物或用于農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)域生產(chǎn)的新型生物殺蟲(chóng)劑。

Plant metabolites can also influence the behavior of other animals. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) produces a compound known as?nepetalactone. When cats sniff this plant, they become very playful and relaxed (Figure 1C). Nepetalactone is commonly associated with plant defense; however scientists do not yet fully understand its role. Future research on how plants make nepetalactone could help scientists develop new medicines with sedative and relaxant properties, or new bio-insecticides for agriculture.

我們離鑒別出所有植物代謝產(chǎn)物以及了解植物是如何產(chǎn)生它們的還很遙遠(yuǎn)仍侥。然而要出，在過(guò)去的十年里，科學(xué)技術(shù)的發(fā)展使科學(xué)家們能夠發(fā)現(xiàn)更多的植物代謝產(chǎn)物农渊。在下一節(jié)里患蹂，我們將探索科學(xué)家們是如何分離和鑒別這些物質(zhì)的。

We are still far from identifying all plant metabolites and even further from understanding how plants produce them. However, in the last decades, technological developments have allowed scientists to discover more plant metabolites. In the next section, we will explore how scientists isolate and identify these substances.

科學(xué)家們是如何鑒別和研究植物化學(xué)藥物呢砸紊？

HOW DO SCIENTISTS IDENTIFY AND STUDY PLANT CHEMICALS?

由于專有代謝產(chǎn)物對(duì)植物尤為重要传于，對(duì)我們也相當(dāng)有用，科學(xué)家們研發(fā)了幾種檢測(cè)它們的方法醉顽。人類將專有代謝產(chǎn)物從植物中提取出來(lái)已經(jīng)有很長(zhǎng)一段時(shí)間了沼溜。沖泡咖啡是提取的一個(gè)典型例子。概念很簡(jiǎn)單明了：植物原料（如研磨的咖啡豆）與一種被稱為溶劑的液體（就咖啡而言游添，它的溶劑是熱水）混合系草，以便提取出代謝產(chǎn)物通熄。一段時(shí)間后，溶劑會(huì)吸收咖啡豆里所含代謝產(chǎn)物的顏色和味道找都。緊接著將這些混合物過(guò)濾唇辨，將固體植物原料丟棄，余下的溶劑就含有植物代謝產(chǎn)物的提取物檐嚣。

科學(xué)家們運(yùn)用同樣的原理提取和研究了許多植物代謝產(chǎn)物助泽。為了鑒別專有代謝產(chǎn)物，科學(xué)家們必須考慮到它們的物理性質(zhì)和化學(xué)性質(zhì)嚎京，如代謝產(chǎn)物是否溶于水或是否還需要另一個(gè)不同的溶劑嗡贺。得到過(guò)濾后的提取物是提取過(guò)程的最后一個(gè)步驟，接下來(lái)的步驟便是分離和鑒別提取物中呈現(xiàn)的化合物鞍帝。

Since specialized metabolites are so important for plants and quite useful for us, scientists have developed several ways to measure them. Humans have extracted specialized metabolites from plants for a very long time. Brewing coffee is one example of?extraction. The concept is simple: plant material, for example ground coffee beans, is mixed with a liquid called a?solvent?(hot water, in the case of coffee) to allow the extraction of metabolites. After some time, the solvent takes up the flavor and color of the metabolites contained in the coffee beans. The mixture is then filtered and the solid plant materials are discarded, while the liquid solvent contains an extract of plant metabolites.

Scientists have applied this same principle to extract and study many plant metabolites. To identify specific metabolites, scientists must consider their chemical and physical properties, such as whether the metabolites can dissolve in water or whether a different solvent is needed. Obtaining the filtered extract is the last step of the extraction process (Figure 2A). The next steps are the separation and identification of the chemical compounds present in the extract.

Figure 2 - Plant metabolites are analyzed using chromatography and mass spectrometry.

圖2-用色譜法和質(zhì)譜法驗(yàn)定植物代謝產(chǎn)物

(A)?The first part of the analysis is the preparation of the sample. In this example, leaves are ground up and mixed with a solvent in a tube.

（A）驗(yàn)定的第一部分是樣品的制備诫睬。在本例中，葉子被研磨成碎片帕涌，將碎葉與管中的溶劑混合

(B)?Using chromatography, the liquid part from the previous step is analyzed and the metabolites in the leaves are separated.?

（B）利用色譜法摄凡，可將上一步驟的液體部分進(jìn)行驗(yàn)定，分離出葉片中的代謝物蚓曼。

(C)?Using mass spectrometry, plant metabolites are further broken apart (ionization) and a detector registers the number and identity of the parts of metabolites that come out.

（C）利用質(zhì)譜技術(shù)亲澡，將植物代謝物進(jìn)一步裂解（電離），由檢測(cè)器記錄出代謝物各部分的數(shù)量和特性纫版。

色譜法是一項(xiàng)用于分離許多化合物的技術(shù)（圖2B）床绪。要被分離的代謝產(chǎn)物混合液體被稱為“流動(dòng)相”（包含在圖2A中的管中）。流動(dòng)相流經(jīng)第二種物質(zhì)其弊，我們把這種物質(zhì)稱為“固定相”（圖2B的藍(lán)色部分）癞己。在流動(dòng)相里的代謝產(chǎn)物（植物提取物）會(huì)與固定相以不同的方式相互作用。一些代謝產(chǎn)物在流經(jīng)固定相時(shí)速度較慢梭伐，一些則較快痹雅，這就導(dǎo)致了各種各樣的代謝產(chǎn)物的分離。每種代謝產(chǎn)物流經(jīng)時(shí)間不同糊识，是科學(xué)家們利用其鑒別代謝產(chǎn)物的標(biāo)志之一绩社。

Chromatography?is a technique used to separate chemical compounds (Figure 2B). The liquid mixture of metabolites to be separated is called the mobile phase (contained in the tube in?Figure 2A). The mobile phase is then flowed through a second substance called the stationary phase (colored blue in?Figure 2B). The metabolites in the mobile phase (plant extract) will interact with the stationary phase in different ways. Some metabolites will move slowly through the stationary phase and others will move more quickly, causing the various metabolites to separate. The different travel time of each metabolite is one of the signatures that scientists use to identify them.

一些植物代謝產(chǎn)物只需運(yùn)用色譜法便可以輕而易舉地被鑒別出來(lái)。然而赂苗，植物代謝產(chǎn)物可能會(huì)十分復(fù)雜铃将。這些復(fù)雜性會(huì)使鑒別變得非常艱難，有時(shí)候就需要通過(guò)其他途徑來(lái)幫助鑒別它們哑梳。質(zhì)譜法是一項(xiàng)將代謝產(chǎn)物進(jìn)一步裂解，然后將不同的部分（稱為離子）分離出來(lái)绘盟，以檢測(cè)它們?cè)诨衔镏写嬖诘臄?shù)量的技術(shù)（圖2C）鸠真。質(zhì)譜儀主要由三個(gè)主室構(gòu)成悯仙。在第一室中，代謝產(chǎn)物被裂解成它的基本組成部分吠卷，稱為離子锡垄。離子通過(guò)第二室（被稱為質(zhì)量分析器）到達(dá)第三室（檢測(cè)器）。每個(gè)離子的質(zhì)量和通過(guò)質(zhì)量分析器所需要的時(shí)間都被檢測(cè)器記錄下來(lái)祭隔，從而提供關(guān)于離子特性的十分詳盡的信息货岭。可以將色譜法和質(zhì)譜法結(jié)合在一臺(tái)功能強(qiáng)大的機(jī)器上疾渴，以檢測(cè)微少的專有代謝產(chǎn)物千贯。

Some plant metabolites can be easily identified using chromatography alone. However, plant metabolites can be extremely complex. This complexity makes their identification difficult, and other methods are sometimes required to identify them.?Mass spectrometry?is a technique that breaks metabolites down further and then separates the different parts (called ions) to detect how many of them are present in a chemical compound (Figure 2C). A mass spectrometer is usually composed of three main chambers. In the first chamber, the metabolite is disintegrated into its essential parts, called ions. The ions race through the second chamber, called the mass analyzer, to reach the third chamber, called the detector. The mass of each ion and the time taken to travel through the mass analyzer is recorded by the detector, providing extremely specific information about the ion’s identity. Chromatography and mass spectrometry can be combined in a single, powerful machine to detect very small amounts of specialized metabolites.

接下來(lái)是什么呢？

WHAT IS NEXT?

我們已經(jīng)向你展現(xiàn)了一些關(guān)于植物代謝產(chǎn)物多樣性和它的用途的例子搞坝，并解釋了科學(xué)家們是如何分離和鑒別它們的搔谴。如今已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)了許多植物代謝產(chǎn)物，除了對(duì)植物自身十分重要之外桩撮，一些化合物對(duì)人類也十分有利用價(jià)值敦第。還有許多植物代謝產(chǎn)物有待發(fā)現(xiàn)和探索，每年科學(xué)家都會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)新的代謝產(chǎn)物店量。了解植物里的化學(xué)物質(zhì)不僅是一件振奮人心的事芜果，而且能幫助我們發(fā)現(xiàn)新型藥物和農(nóng)業(yè)資源。盡管我們對(duì)很多植物代謝產(chǎn)物的功能還不完全了解融师，但這些化合物代表著一個(gè)巨大的應(yīng)用潛能寶庫(kù)右钾。這些化合物的豐富多樣使植物成為我們星球的大師化學(xué)家。

We have shown you just a few examples of the great diversity and uses of plant metabolites and explained how scientists isolate and identify them. Many plant metabolites have already been discovered and, in addition to being important to the plants that make them, some of the compounds are also useful to humans1. There are still plenty more plant metabolites to be discovered and explored, and every year scientists discover new ones. Understanding plant chemicals is not only exciting, but it also helps us to develop new medicines and agricultural resources. Although the functions of many plant metabolites are still not understood, these compounds represent a huge reservoir of potential applications. This great diversity of chemical compounds makes plants the master chemists of our planet.

Glossary?術(shù)語(yǔ)表

Metabolite:?↑?Small chemical compound that helps plants grow and interact with other organisms.

代謝產(chǎn)物：幫助植物生長(zhǎng)和與其他生物體相互作用的微量化合物

Glucosinolates:?↑?Specialized metabolites with pungent taste, present in plants, such as broccoli, radish, and mustard.

硫代葡萄糖苷：存在于如西蘭花诬滩、蘿卜霹粥、芥菜等植物，是一種具有刺激性氣味的代謝產(chǎn)物

Saponins:?↑?Specialized metabolites traditionally used as natural detergents. The name comes from the Latin word “sapo” which means soap. A very important saponin mix, called QS-21, comes from the Chilean tree?Quillaja saponaria, and it is used as an ingredient in formulation of vaccines.

皂素：傳統(tǒng)上用作天然洗滌劑的專有代謝產(chǎn)物疼鸟。其名源于拉丁語(yǔ)“sapo”后控，是肥皂的意思。一種被稱為QS-21的非常重要的皂素混合物空镜，它來(lái)自智利的皂樹(shù)浩淘，被用作疫苗配方中的一種成分。

Nepetalactone:?↑?Specialized metabolite found in the catnip plant,?Nepeta?spp.that attracts and alters the behavior of cats making them relaxed and playful.

荊芥內(nèi)酯：在貓薄荷中發(fā)現(xiàn)的專有代謝產(chǎn)物吴攒。它能吸引和改變貓咪的行為张抄，使貓咪變得更加愛(ài)嬉戲、更加心曠神怡洼怔。

Extraction:?↑?The process by which plant metabolites are separated and isolated from any other compounds present in plant material.

提仁鸸摺：將植物代謝產(chǎn)物從任何其他呈現(xiàn)在植物材料里的化合物中分離提取出來(lái)的過(guò)程。

Solvent:?↑?In chromatography the solvent is the liquid where plant metabolites are placed. This solution (solvent plus metabolites) flows through chromatography for separation.在溶劑：色譜法中镣隶，溶劑是提取植物代謝物所需的液體极谊。這種溶液（溶劑+代謝物）流經(jīng)色譜法進(jìn)行分離诡右。

Chromatography:?↑?A separation technique commonly used to separate a mix of compounds

色譜法：一項(xiàng)普遍用于分離混合化合物的分離技術(shù)。

Mass Spectrometry:?↑?A technique to measure the mass and charge of ions from molecules present in a solution.

質(zhì)譜法：一種測(cè)量溶液中分子離子呈現(xiàn)的質(zhì)量和電荷的技術(shù)轻猖。

—The?End—

附上作者信息：

當(dāng)我還是一位在哥倫比亞讀生物學(xué)的學(xué)生時(shí)帆吻，我對(duì)植物及其化學(xué)的熱情油然而生。在我完成本科學(xué)位后咙边，我決定將我的科學(xué)生涯聚焦于了解植物是如何調(diào)節(jié)初級(jí)代謝產(chǎn)物和專有代謝產(chǎn)物的產(chǎn)生猜煮。我參加了一些科學(xué)項(xiàng)目，這些項(xiàng)目不僅激發(fā)了我對(duì)了解植物新陳代謝和生理學(xué)的興趣败许，而且還激發(fā)了我對(duì)如何提高植物的生產(chǎn)力和用途的興趣王带。我堅(jiān)信，我們可以從植物身上學(xué)到更多的東西檐束，而且我與植物接觸會(huì)產(chǎn)生許多樂(lè)趣辫秧。我目前在Keygene工作，這是一家位于荷蘭的農(nóng)業(yè)生物技術(shù)公司被丧。

我對(duì)植物以及它們能生產(chǎn)出如此多的化合物的能力非常著迷盟戏。為了更好地理解植物是如何以及為為什么成為資深的化學(xué)家，我利用分子生物學(xué)研究植物的基因甥桂，利用代謝組學(xué)研究植物的化合物柿究。我研究了馬鈴薯和西紅柿植物中被稱為甾體生物堿的苦味化合物的生物合成，現(xiàn)在我又研究了被稱為皂素的皂類植物防御化合物黄选。我們?cè)绞橇私庵参锸侨绾我约盀槭裁粗圃旎衔镉驮侥芨菀组_(kāi)發(fā)出有用的產(chǎn)品，以實(shí)現(xiàn)一個(gè)可持續(xù)發(fā)展的社會(huì)办陷。