The invasive green alga, Caulerpa taxifolia, that has spread rapidly
after its introduction into the Mediterranean and the North American Pacific,
reacts to wounding by transforming its major metabolite caulerpenyne (1). This
wound-activated reaction involves the transformation of the bis-enol acetate
moiety of 1, releasing reactive 1,4-dialdehydes. The ability to perform this transformation
is found also in both the noninvasive Mediterranean C. prolifera and
the invasive C. racemosa. Trapping experiments, as well as transformation of the
model substrate geranyl acetate, suggest that all three investigated Caulerpa spp.
rely on esterases that act upon wounding of the algae by subsequently removing
the three acetate residues of caulerpenyne.