The Effect of Volatile Organic Compounds on Different Organisms: Agrobacteria, Plants and Insects

Bacteria and fungi emit a huge variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can provide a valuable arsenal for practical use. However, the biological activities and functions of the VOCs are poorly understood. This work aimed to study the action of individual VOCs on the bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Arabidopsis thaliana plants, and fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster. VOCs used in the work included ketones, alcohols, and terpenes. The potent inhibitory effect on the growth of A. tumefaciens was shown for 2-octanone and isoamyl alcohol. Terpenes (-)-limonene and (+)-alpha-pinene practically did not act on bacteria, even at high doses (up to 400 mu mol). 2-Butanone and 2-pentanone increased the biomass of A. thaliana at doses of 200-400 mu mol by 1.5-2 times; 2-octanone had the same effect at 10 mu mol and decreased plant biomass at higher doses. Isoamyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol suppressed plant biomass several times at doses of 50-100 mu mol. Plant seed germination was most strongly suppressed by isoamyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol. The substantial killing effect (at low doses) on D. melanogaster was exerted by the terpenes and the ketones 2-octanone and 2-pentanone. The obtained data showed new information about the biological activities of VOCs in relation to organisms belonging to different kingdoms.

Automated summary

This study investigates the biological activities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on a bacterium, a plant, and a fruit fly. While some compounds showed inhibitory effects on bacterial and fruit fly growth, others promoted plant biomass. Isoamyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol were particularly effective in suppressing plant seed germination.