Methyl jasmonate
chemical compound
Methyl jasmonate (abbreviated MeJA) is a volatile organic compound used in plant defense and many diverse developmental pathways such as seed germination, root growth, flowering, fruit ripening, and senescence. Methyl jasmonate is derived from jasmonic acid and the reaction is catalyzed by S-adenosyl-L-methionine:jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase.
Description
Plants produce jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate in response to many biotic and abiotic stresses (in particular, herbivory and wounding), which build up in the damaged parts of the plant. The methyl jasmonate can be used to signal the original plant's defense systems or it can be spread by physical contact or through the air to produce a defensive reaction in unharmed plants. The unharmed plants absorb the airborne MeJA through either the stomata or diffusion through the leaf cell cytoplasm. An herbivorous attack on a plant causes it to produce MeJA both for internal defense and for a signaling compound to other plants.
Defense chemicals
MeJA can induce the plant to produce multiple different types of defense chemicals such as phytoalexins (antimicrobial), nicotine or protease inhibitors. The protease inhibitors interfere with the insect digestive process and discourage the insect from eating the plant again.
MeJA has been used to stimulate traumatic resin duct production in Norway spruce trees. This can be used as a defense against many insect attackers as a type of vaccine.
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