About Nicotiana attenuata

Nicotiana attenuata is a species of wild diploid tobacco, known as coyote tobacco, which is native to North America. While used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes by some Native Americans, it is not a commercial tobacco plant.

The pyridine alkaloid nicotine, whose addictive properties are well known to humans, is the signature compound of the genus Nicotiana (Solanaceae). In nature, nicotine is arguably one of the most broadly effective plant defence metabolites, in that it poisons acetylcholine receptors and is thereby toxic to all heterotrophs with neuromuscular junctions. Field studies using genetically modified Nicotiana attenuata (coyote tobacco) plants, have revealed that this toxin fulfills multifaceted ecological functions that contribute to plant fitness.

Taxonomy ID 49451

Data source Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

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