I realise that we have spoken a great deal about several aspects of biology, including stem cells, the brain, genetics and more. However, one aspect that I haven't touched upon yet is plants. Plants are essentially the reason we are alive. We use them for various purposes, but one aspect that I wanted to touch upon, one that has bewildered many observers and has only recently been explained, is that of the function of Nepeta cataria, more commonly known as Catnip. Catnip tends to repel insects and attract cats, and light has recently been shed on the former by Researchers N. Melo et al.
The first experiment was carried out to demonstrate this effect used a petri dish partly covered in Catnip, or its active component, an organic compound, Nepetalactone. Fruit flies were later allowed to breed under observation. The results showed that the flies prefered the non-covered parts of the petri dish. The next step was o develop a hypothesis to understand why this happens. The research team suggested that the chemical Nepetalactone was an iridoid that triggered TRPA1. What is that? TRPA1 is a cation channel that is well known for its ability to sense cold, pain and irritants.
To test this hypothesis, scientists genetically modified insects to remove the TRPA1 gene in a process similar to the one detailed here. The results were not surprising; the insects without the gene showed tolerance to the compound, while those that were not modified did. This naturally indicated why the plant repels insects.
The implications of this discovery are huge. Now that we understand how Catnip functions it could be used as an effective repellant in countries ridden with mosquito-borne diseases. It could also act as an insecticide as it does not kill insects, merely turns them away. But why does Catnip attract cats? That's something I will cover in a future article, where I will also explain the effects of certain drugs on our nervous system. In the meantime, you can find the full research paper in the link posted below! Happy Reading!
Article:
N. Melo et al. The irritant receptor TRPA1 mediates the mosquito repellent effect of catnip. Current Biology. Published online March 4, 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.010.
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