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Makopa TP, Modikwe G, Vrhovsek U, Lotti C, Sampaio JP, Zhou N. The marula and elephant intoxication myth: assessing the biodiversity of fermenting yeasts associated with marula fruits ( Sclerocarya birrea). FEMS MICROBES 2023; 4:xtad018. [PMID: 37854251 PMCID: PMC10581541 DOI: 10.1093/femsmc/xtad018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The inebriation of wild African elephants from eating the ripened and rotting fruit of the marula tree is a persistent myth in Southern Africa. However, the yeasts responsible for alcoholic fermentation to intoxicate the elephants remain poorly documented. In this study, we considered Botswana, a country with the world's largest population of wild elephants, and where the marula tree is indigenous, abundant and protected, to assess the occurrence and biodiversity of yeasts with a potential to ferment and subsequently inebriate the wild elephants. We collected marula fruits from over a stretch of 800 km in Botswana and isolated 106 yeast strains representing 24 yeast species. Over 93% of these isolates, typically known to ferment simple sugars and produce ethanol comprising of high ethanol producers belonging to Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, and Pichia, and intermediate ethanol producers Wickerhamomyces, Zygotorulaspora, Candida, Hanseniaspora, and Kluyveromyces. Fermentation of marula juice revealed convincing fermentative and aromatic bouquet credentials to suggest the potential to influence foraging behaviour and inebriate elephants in nature. There is insufficient evidence to refute the aforementioned myth. This work serves as the first work towards understanding the biodiversity marula associated yeasts to debunk the myth or approve the facts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tawanda Proceed Makopa
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Plot 10071, Boseja, Palapye, Botswana, 00267
| | - Gorata Modikwe
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Plot 10071, Boseja, Palapye, Botswana, 00267
| | - Urska Vrhovsek
- Food Quality and Nutrition, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michelle All'Adige, Via E. Mach, 1, Italy, 38010
| | - Cesare Lotti
- Food Quality and Nutrition, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michelle All'Adige, Via E. Mach, 1, Italy, 38010
| | - José Paulo Sampaio
- UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciencias da Vida, Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal , 2829-516
| | - Nerve Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Plot 10071, Boseja, Palapye, Botswana, 00267
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2
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Casorso JG, DePasquale AN, Romero Morales S, Cheves Hernandez S, Lopez Navarro R, Hockings KJ, Carrigan MA, Melin AD. Seed dispersal syndrome predicts ethanol concentration of fruits in a tropical dry forest. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230804. [PMID: 37464751 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying fruit traits and their interactions with seed dispersers can improve how we interpret patterns of biodiversity, ecosystem function and evolution. Mounting evidence suggests that fruit ethanol is common and variable, and may exert selective pressures on seed dispersers. To test this, we comprehensively assess fruit ethanol content in a wild ecosystem and explore sources of variation. We hypothesize that both phylogeny and seed dispersal syndrome explain variation in ethanol levels, and we predict that fruits with mammalian dispersal traits will contain higher levels of ethanol than those with bird dispersal traits. We measured ripe fruit ethanol content in species with mammal- (n = 16), bird- (n = 14) or mixed-dispersal (n = 7) syndromes in a Costa Rican tropical dry forest. Seventy-eight per cent of fruit species yielded measurable ethanol concentrations. We detected a phylogenetic signal in maximum ethanol levels (Pagel's λ = 0.82). Controlling for phylogeny, we observed greater ethanol concentrations in mammal-dispersed fruits, indicating that dispersal syndrome helps explain variation in ethanol content, and that mammals may be more exposed to ethanol in their diets than birds. Our findings further our understanding of wild fruit ethanol and its potential role as a selective pressure on frugivore sensory systems and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia G Casorso
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Allegra N DePasquale
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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3
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Pinto SL, Janiak MC, Dutyschaever G, Barros MAS, Chavarria AG, Martin MP, Tuh FYY, Valverde CS, Sims LM, Barclay RMR, Wells K, Dominy NJ, Pessoa DMA, Carrigan MA, Melin AD. Diet and the evolution of ADH7 across seven orders of mammals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230451. [PMID: 37448478 PMCID: PMC10336374 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Dietary variation within and across species drives the eco-evolutionary responsiveness of genes necessary to metabolize nutrients and other components. Recent evidence from humans and other mammals suggests that sugar-rich diets of floral nectar and ripe fruit have favoured mutations in, and functional preservation of, the ADH7 gene, which encodes the ADH class 4 enzyme responsible for metabolizing ethanol. Here we interrogate a large, comparative dataset of ADH7 gene sequence variation, including that underlying the amino acid residue located at the key site (294) that regulates the affinity of ADH7 for ethanol. Our analyses span 171 mammal species, including 59 newly sequenced. We report extensive variation, especially among frugivorous and nectarivorous bats, with potential for functional impact. We also report widespread variation in the retention and probable pseudogenization of ADH7. However, we find little statistical evidence of an overarching impact of dietary behaviour on putative ADH7 function or presence of derived alleles at site 294 across mammals, which suggests that the evolution of ADH7 is shaped by complex factors. Our study reports extensive new diversity in a gene of longstanding ecological interest, offers new sources of variation to be explored in functional assays in future study, and advances our understanding of the processes of molecular evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swellan L Pinto
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Mareike C Janiak
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gwen Dutyschaever
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Marília A S Barros
- BE Bioinsight & Ecoa, Nilo Peçanha 730, conj. 505, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Pia Martin
- Kids Saving the Rainforest Wildlife Rescue Center, 60601 Quepos, Costa Rica
| | - Fred Y Y Tuh
- Sabah Parks, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | | | - Lisa M Sims
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Robert M R Barclay
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Konstans Wells
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | | | - Daniel M A Pessoa
- Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Matthew A Carrigan
- BioTork, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, College of Central Florida, Ocala, FL, USA
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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4
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Watanabe K, Kondo M, Ikenaka Y, Nakayama SMM, Ishizuka M. A Comparative Genomic and Phylogenetic Investigation of the Xenobiotic Metabolism Enzymes of Cytochrome P450 in Elephants Shows Loss in CYP2E and CYP4A. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1939. [PMID: 37370449 DOI: 10.3390/ani13121939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 is an important enzyme that metabolizes a variety of chemicals, including exogenous substances, such as drugs and environmental chemicals, and endogenous substances, such as steroids, fatty acids, and cholesterol. Some CYPs show interspecific differences in terms of genetic variation. As little is known about the mechanisms of elephant metabolism, we carried out a comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis of CYP in elephants. Our results suggest that elephant CYP genes have undergone independent duplication, particularly in the CYP2A, CYP2C, and CYP3A genes, a unique cluster specific to elephant species. However, while CYP2E and CYP4A were conserved in other Afrotheria taxa, their decay in elephants resulted in genetic dysfunction (pseudogene). These findings outline several remarkable characteristics of elephant CYP1-4 genes and provide new insights into elephant xenobiotic metabolism. Further functional investigations are necessary to characterize elephant CYP, including expression patterns and interactions with drugs and sensitivities to other chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanami Watanabe
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Mitsuki Kondo
- National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) Biodiversity Division, Ecological Risk Assessment and Control Section, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Ikenaka
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
- Translational Research Unit, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Shouta M M Nakayama
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
- Biomedical Sciences Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
| | - Mayumi Ishizuka
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
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Choi J, Lee L, Maro A, Corl A, McGuire JA, Bowie RCK, Dudley R. Hummingbird ingestion of low-concentration ethanol within artificial nectar. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230306. [PMID: 37351493 PMCID: PMC10282586 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Both frugivores and nectarivores are potentially exposed to dietary ethanol produced by fermentative yeasts which metabolize sugars. Some nectarivorous mammals exhibit a preference for low-concentration ethanol solutions compared to controls of comparable caloric content, but behavioural responses to ethanol by nectar-feeding birds are unknown. We investigated dietary preference by Anna's Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) for ethanol-enhanced sucrose solutions. Via repeated binary-choice experiments, three adult male hummingbirds were exposed to sucrose solutions containing 0%, 1% or 2% ethanol; rates of volitional nectar consumption were measured over a 3 h interval. Hummingbirds did not discriminate between 0% and 1% ethanol solutions, but exhibited significantly reduced rates of consumption of a 2% ethanol solution. Opportunistic measurements of ethanol concentrations within hummingbird feeders registered values peaking at about 0.05%. Ethanol at low concentrations (i.e. up to 1%) is not aversive to Anna's Hummingbirds and may be characteristic of both natural and anthropogenic nectars upon which they feed. Given high daily amounts of nectar consumption by hummingbirds, chronic physiological exposure to ethanol can thus be substantial, although naturally occurring concentrations within floral nectar are unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Choi
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Lilianne Lee
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Aleksey Maro
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ammon Corl
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jimmy A. McGuire
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Rauri C. K. Bowie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Robert Dudley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
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6
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Downie AT, Lefevre S, Illing B, Harris J, Jarrold MD, McCormick MI, Nilsson GE, Rummer JL. Rapid physiological and transcriptomic changes associated with oxygen delivery in larval anemonefish suggest a role in adaptation to life on hypoxic coral reefs. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002102. [PMID: 37167194 PMCID: PMC10174562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Connectivity of coral reef fish populations relies on successful dispersal of a pelagic larval phase. Pelagic larvae must exhibit high swimming abilities to overcome ocean and reef currents, but once settling onto the reef, larvae transition to endure habitats that become hypoxic at night. Therefore, coral reef fish larvae must rapidly and dramatically shift their physiology over a short period of time. Taking an integrative, physiological approach, using swimming respirometry, and examining hypoxia tolerance and transcriptomics, we show that larvae of cinnamon anemonefish (Amphiprion melanopus) rapidly transition between "physiological extremes" at the end of their larval phase. Daily measurements of swimming larval anemonefish over their entire early development show that they initially have very high mass-specific oxygen uptake rates. However, oxygen uptake rates decrease midway through the larval phase. This occurs in conjunction with a switch in haemoglobin gene expression and increased expression of myoglobin, cytoglobin, and neuroglobin, which may all contribute to the observed increase in hypoxia tolerance. Our findings indicate that critical ontogenetic changes in the gene expression of oxygen-binding proteins may underpin the physiological mechanisms needed for successful larval recruitment to reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T Downie
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
| | - Sjannie Lefevre
- Section for Physiology and Cell Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Björn Illing
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Jessica Harris
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Michael D Jarrold
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Mark I McCormick
- Coastal Marine Field Station, School of Science, University of Waikato, Tauranga, New Zealand
| | - Göran E Nilsson
- Section for Physiology and Cell Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jodie L Rummer
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
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7
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Jastroch M, Keipert S, Tschöp MH. Protection from alcohol intoxication: Must be FGF21 to enter. Cell Metab 2023; 35:377-379. [PMID: 36889276 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is generally known as a stress-induced metabolic regulator with enormous therapeutic potential to treat metabolic diseases, but a more specific role of FGF21 concerns physiological handling of alcohol in mammals. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Choi et al. demonstrate that FGF21 mediates the recovery from alcohol intoxication by directly activating noradrenergic neurons in mice, thus advancing our knowledge on FGF21 biology and further diversifying its therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Jastroch
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susanne Keipert
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthias H Tschöp
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Division of Metabolic Diseases, Department of Medicine, Technical University of München, Munich, Germany.
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Choi M, Schneeberger M, Fan W, Bugde A, Gautron L, Vale K, Hammer RE, Zhang Y, Friedman JM, Mangelsdorf DJ, Kliewer SA. FGF21 counteracts alcohol intoxication by activating the noradrenergic nervous system. Cell Metab 2023; 35:429-437.e5. [PMID: 36889282 PMCID: PMC10009780 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Animals that consume fermenting fruit and nectar are at risk of exposure to ethanol and the detrimental effects of inebriation. In this report, we show that the hormone FGF21, which is strongly induced by ethanol in murine and human liver, stimulates arousal from intoxication without changing ethanol catabolism. Mice lacking FGF21 take longer than wild-type littermates to recover their righting reflex and balance following ethanol exposure. Conversely, pharmacologic FGF21 administration reduces the time needed for mice to recover from ethanol-induced unconsciousness and ataxia. FGF21 did not counteract sedation caused by ketamine, diazepam, or pentobarbital, indicating specificity for ethanol. FGF21 mediates its anti-intoxicant effects by directly activating noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus region, which regulates arousal and alertness. These results suggest that this FGF21 liver-brain pathway evolved to protect against ethanol-induced intoxication and that it might be targeted pharmaceutically for treating acute alcohol poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihwa Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Marc Schneeberger
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Wei Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Abhijit Bugde
- Live Cell Imaging Core Facility, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Laurent Gautron
- Division of Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kevin Vale
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Robert E Hammer
- Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Friedman
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David J Mangelsdorf
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Steven A Kliewer
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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9
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Kostuch L. Drunken snakes and sober owls: ancient authors on the relationship between animals and wine. Addiction 2023; 118:569-578. [PMID: 36307911 DOI: 10.1111/add.16077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
AIMS In the article, ancient concepts linking animals and wine are discussed. This paper provides a description of animals that in antiquity were considered to be especially fond of grapes and wine, as well as animals that were, for various reasons, given wine to drink by humans, and animals that in ancient literature had an averse association with wine. In the paper, the author attempts to answer the following questions, what was the conceptual framework for the tales about drunk animals? In what circumstances were observations of animals becoming inebriated conducted? Which animal species were considered as most susceptible to the effects of wine? Last, was wine believed to affect animals and humans in a similar way? METHODS Ancient literature provides a set of extant information about animals that willingly become inebriated with grapes or are given wine by humans, which deserves a separate analysis. The ancient authors commonly interspersed narration with information about the animals and invoked personal experiences of contact with the described animal and information obtained from those who had the opportunity to conduct 'zoological' observations or even medical experiments. RESULTS There is a large group of animals that appear in ancient accounts consuming alcohol in the form of fermented fruit and wine. The ancients held the mostly incorrect belief that snakes had an enormous predilection for wine; moreover, contemporary research confirms that, as the ancients rightly observed, insects and birds do display a fondness for fermented fruit and wine. It was correctly observed that an excess of wine induced extreme states, such as sleepiness and aggression in animals, in a manner similar to humans. CONCLUSIONS Accounts in ancient literature show a close association between animals and wine existed among the Greeks and Romans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucyna Kostuch
- Institute of History, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Kielce, Poland
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10
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Clites BL, Hofmann HA, Pierce JT. The Promise of an Evolutionary Perspective of Alcohol Consumption. Neurosci Insights 2023; 18:26331055231163589. [PMID: 37051560 PMCID: PMC10084549 DOI: 10.1177/26331055231163589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The urgent need for medical treatments of alcohol use disorders has motivated the search for novel molecular targets of alcohol response. Most studies exploit the strengths of lab animals without considering how these and other species may have adapted to respond to alcohol in an ecological context. Here, we provide an evolutionary perspective on the molecular and genetic underpinnings of alcohol consumption by reviewing evidence that alcohol metabolic enzymes have undergone adaptive evolution at 2 evolutionary junctures: first, to enable alcohol consumption accompanying the advent of a frugivorous diet in a primate ancestor, and second, to decrease the likelihood of excessive alcohol consumption concurrent with the spread of agriculture and fermentation in East Asia. By similarly considering how diverse vertebrate and invertebrate species have undergone natural selection for alcohol responses, novel conserved molecular targets of alcohol are likely be discovered that may represent promising therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin L Clites
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Cellular & Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Institute for Cellular & Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan T Pierce
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Cellular & Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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11
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Kirgintsev RM, Pavlova LE, Timina MF, Panchenko AV, Panchenko AV. [Indicators of spontaneous behavior of rhesus monkeys with short-term course alcohol self-administration under free choice]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2023; 123:106-112. [PMID: 37966448 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro2023123101106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyze spontaneous behavior in 36 male rhesus macaques during formation of alcoholic motivation under free choice. MATERIAL AND METHODS The model composed the initiation stage with the provision of an aqueous ethanol solution of increasing concentration from 1 to 4% with a sweetener and restricted access to the tap water supply and the subsequent stage of the formation of alcoholic motivation with a free choice between 4% ethanol solution without sweetener and water. The behavior was recorded by the «One-Zero» method with ethogram compiled in accordance with the behavioral peculiarities of rhesus monkeys when housed individually. Three subgroups of high, medium and low-level ethanol consumption were distinguished. RESULTS In the subgroup of high ethanol consumption median consumption was 1.70 g/kg/day at initiation (p<0.05, compared to other subgroups) and 1.79 g/kg/day (p<0.05) at free choice stage. Animals of high consumption subgroup had significantly higher frequency being at the cage bottom and in a sitting posture. We observed significant changes in a number of indicators of spontaneous behavior depending on the level of ethanol consumption, which included displacement behavior, stereotypic behavior and posture of animals. In the high consumption subgroup, there was a significant increase in the frequency of stereotypic behavior, atypical behavior, being on four legs, as well as a decrease in the frequency of being at the back side of the cage and of displacement behavior. At the same time, the inhibitory effect of ethanol on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system was revealed. CONCLUSION In the model of free choice alcohol self-administration rhesus monkeys demonstrate a significant change in a number of indicators of spontaneous behavior depending on the level of ethanol consumption, which includes displacement, stereotypic behaviors and animal posture.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Kirgintsev
- Research Institute of Medical Primatology of The National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Sochi, Russia
| | - L E Pavlova
- Research Institute of Medical Primatology of The National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Sochi, Russia
| | - M F Timina
- Research Institute of Medical Primatology of The National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Sochi, Russia
| | - An V Panchenko
- Research Institute of Medical Primatology of The National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Sochi, Russia
| | - Al V Panchenko
- Research Institute of Medical Primatology of The National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Sochi, Russia
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12
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Campbell CJ, Maro A, Weaver V, Dudley R. Dietary ethanol ingestion by free-ranging spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211729. [PMID: 35345427 PMCID: PMC8941420 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol within ripe and over-ripe fruit is produced naturally through the metabolic activity of fermentative yeasts. As a consequence, frugivorous animals may chronically consume ethanol as part of their routine diet, although direct measurements of such exposure are lacking. Here, we present data on ethanol concentrations within fruits of Spondias mombin (Anacardiaceae) that are eaten by black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Of collected fruits that were partially consumed and then dropped by foraging monkeys, pulp-ethanol content was typically in the range of 1-2%; the percentage of pulp for consumed fruits was not significantly correlated with the ethanol concentration of the pulp remaining within each fruit. Urine samples from foraging spider monkeys were also evaluated for the ethanol metabolites ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate; five of six samples tested positive for both compounds. In aggregate, these data indicate natural exposure to fruit-associated ethanol in a wild primate species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aleksey Maro
- Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Victoria Weaver
- Anthropology, California State University, Northridge, CA, USA
| | - Robert Dudley
- Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Robinson K, Shah VH. Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken) 2021; 18:93-106. [PMID: 34745586 PMCID: PMC8555460 DOI: 10.1002/cld.1162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Content available: Author Interview and Audio Recording.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Robinson
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicRochesterMN
| | - Vijay H. Shah
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicRochesterMN
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Amato KR, Mallott EK, D’Almeida Maia P, Savo Sardaro ML. Predigestion as an Evolutionary Impetus for Human Use of Fermented Food. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1086/715238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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15
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Human Evolution and Dietary Ethanol. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13072419. [PMID: 34371928 PMCID: PMC8308604 DOI: 10.3390/nu13072419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The "drunken monkey" hypothesis posits that attraction to ethanol derives from an evolutionary linkage among the sugars of ripe fruit, associated alcoholic fermentation by yeast, and ensuing consumption by human ancestors. First proposed in 2000, this concept has received increasing attention from the fields of animal sensory biology, primate foraging behavior, and molecular evolution. We undertook a review of English language citations subsequent to publication of the original paper and assessed research trends and future directions relative to natural dietary ethanol exposure in primates and other animals. Two major empirical themes emerge: attraction to and consumption of fermenting fruits (and nectar) by numerous vertebrates and invertebrates (e.g., Drosophila flies), and genomic evidence for natural selection consistent with sustained exposure to dietary ethanol in diverse taxa (including hominids and the genus Homo) over tens of millions of years. We also describe our current field studies in Uganda of ethanol content within fruits consumed by free-ranging chimpanzees, which suggest chronic low-level exposure to this psychoactive molecule in our closest living relatives.
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16
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Amato KR, Chaves ÓM, Mallott EK, Eppley TM, Abreu F, Baden AL, Barnett AA, Bicca-Marques JC, Boyle SA, Campbell CJ, Chapman CA, De la Fuente MF, Fan P, Fashing PJ, Felton A, Fruth B, Fortes VB, Grueter CC, Hohmann G, Irwin M, Matthews JK, Mekonnen A, Melin AD, Morgan DB, Ostner J, Nguyen N, Piel AK, Pinacho-Guendulain B, Quintino-Arêdes EP, Razanaparany PT, Schiel N, Sanz CM, Schülke O, Shanee S, Souto A, Souza-Alves JP, Stewart F, Stewart KM, Stone A, Sun B, Tecot S, Valenta K, Vogel ER, Wich S, Zeng Y. Fermented food consumption in wild nonhuman primates and its ecological drivers. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:513-530. [PMID: 33650680 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although fermented food use is ubiquitous in humans, the ecological and evolutionary factors contributing to its emergence are unclear. Here we investigated the ecological contexts surrounding the consumption of fruits in the late stages of fermentation by wild primates to provide insight into its adaptive function. We hypothesized that climate, socioecological traits, and habitat patch size would influence the occurrence of this behavior due to effects on the environmental prevalence of late-stage fermented foods, the ability of primates to detect them, and potential nutritional benefits. MATERIALS AND METHODS We compiled data from field studies lasting at least 9 months to describe the contexts in which primates were observed consuming fruits in the late stages of fermentation. Using generalized linear mixed-effects models, we assessed the effects of 18 predictor variables on the occurrence of fermented food use in primates. RESULTS Late-stage fermented foods were consumed by a wide taxonomic breadth of primates. However, they generally made up 0.01%-3% of the annual diet and were limited to a subset of fruit species, many of which are reported to have mechanical and chemical defenses against herbivores when not fermented. Additionally, late-stage fermented food consumption was best predicted by climate and habitat patch size. It was more likely to occur in larger habitat patches with lower annual mean rainfall and higher annual mean maximum temperatures. DISCUSSION We posit that primates capitalize on the natural fermentation of some fruits as part of a nutritional strategy to maximize periods of fruit exploitation and/or access a wider range of plant species. We speculate that these factors contributed to the evolutionary emergence of the human propensity for fermented foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Óscar M Chaves
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, UCR, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Elizabeth K Mallott
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Timothy M Eppley
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Filipa Abreu
- Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Andrea L Baden
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.,The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Adrian A Barnett
- Amazon Mammals Research Group, National Amazon Research Institute (INPA), Manaus, AM, Brazil & Department of. Zoology, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Prince Edward Island, Brazil
| | - Julio Cesar Bicca-Marques
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Sarah A Boyle
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Christina J Campbell
- Department of Anthropology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, California, USA
| | - Colin A Chapman
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.,School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Pengfei Fan
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peter J Fashing
- Department of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA.,Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Annika Felton
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Barbara Fruth
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Vanessa B Fortes
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Zootecnia e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Palmeira das Missões, RS, Brazil
| | - Cyril C Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mitchell Irwin
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA
| | - Jaya K Matthews
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.,Africa Research & Engagement Centre, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Addisu Mekonnen
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - David B Morgan
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Julia Ostner
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Research Group Primate Social Evolution, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Nga Nguyen
- Department of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA.,Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alex K Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Braulio Pinacho-Guendulain
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Lerma, Mexico.,Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR), Unidad Oaxaca, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Erika Patricia Quintino-Arêdes
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Patrick Tojotanjona Razanaparany
- Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Nicola Schiel
- Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Crickette M Sanz
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Research Group Primate Social Evolution, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sam Shanee
- Neotropical Primate Conservation, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Antonio Souto
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - João Pedro Souza-Alves
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Fiona Stewart
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Kathrine M Stewart
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anita Stone
- Biology Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Binghua Sun
- School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Stacey Tecot
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Kim Valenta
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Erin R Vogel
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Serge Wich
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Yan Zeng
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
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Nevo O, Schmitt MH, Ayasse M, Valenta K. Sweet tooth: Elephants detect fruit sugar levels based on scent alone. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:11399-11407. [PMID: 33144973 PMCID: PMC7593167 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to assess food quality is crucial to all organisms. Fleshy fruits are a major source of nutrients to various animals, and unlike most food sources, have evolved to be attractive and to be consumed by animals to promote seed dispersal. It has recently been established that fruit scent-the bouquet of volatile chemicals emitted by ripe fruit-is an evolved communication system between plants and animals. Further, it has been argued that chemicals that are synthesized from sugar and its products may be an honest signal for sugar content and fruit quality. Elephants are important seed dispersers for numerous species and possess an olfactory system that is likely to outperform most other animals. We tested the hypothesis that fruit scent signifies sugar content and that elephants are capable of assessing fruit sugar levels based on scent alone. Using a paired-choice test of marula fruits (Sclerocarya birrea) by semitame African elephants, we show that elephants are capable of identifying more sugar-rich fruits based on scent alone and that this is likely based on two chemical compounds: ethanol and ethyl acetate, both downstream products of sugar fermentation. These results shed light on the mechanisms driving elephant feeding ecology, plant signaling, and the coevolutionary process between angiosperms and animal seed dispersers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Nevo
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiodiversityFriedrich Schiller University JenaJenaGermany
| | - Melissa H. Schmitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine BiologyUniversity of California Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCAUSA
- South African Environmental Observation NetworkNdlovu NodePhalaborwaSouth Africa
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
| | - Kim Valenta
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
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18
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Birceanu O. Natural alcohol intoxication demystified. J Exp Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.214437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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