title: A simple SDS-PAGE protein pattern from pitcher secretions as a new tool to distinguish Nepenthes species (Nepenthaceae).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carnivorous plants have always fascinated scientists because these plants are able to attract, capture, and digest animal prey using their remarkable traps that contain digestive secretions. Nepenthes is one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with 120 species described thus far. Despite an outstanding diversity of trap designs, many species are often confused with each other and remain difficult to classify because they resemble pitchers or of the occurrence of interspecific hybrids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we propose a new method to easily distinguish Nepenthes species based on a SDS PAGE protein pattern analysis of their pitcher secretions. Intraspecific comparisons were performed among specimens growing in different environmental conditions to ascertain the robustness of this method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show that, at the juvenile stage and in the absence of prey in the pitcher, an examined species is characterized by a specific and stable profile, whatever the environmental conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method we describe here can be used as a reliable tool to easily distinguish between Nepenthes species and to help with potential identification based on the species-specific protein pattern of their pitcher secretions, which is complementary to the monograph information.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement, UMR 1121, 2 Avenue de la forêt de Haye-TSA 40602 - F54518 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Flore
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biteau
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nisse
authors.forename: Sissi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hannewald
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bazile
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaume
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mignard
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hehn
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bourgaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060435:Carnivory; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: Nepanthaceae; Nepenthes species; SDS-PAGE; carnivorous plant; pitcher fluid; pitfall trap; protein pattern; species identification