| Title: | Insect egg-killing: a new front on the evolutionary arms-race between brassicaceous plants and pierid butterflies |
| Author(s): | Griese E; Caarls L; Bassetti N; Mohammadin S; Verbaarschot P; Bukovinszkine'Kiss G; Poelman EH; Gols R; Schranz ME; Fatouros NE; |
| Address: | "Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands. Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands. Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1469-8137 (Electronic) 0028-646X (Print) 0028-646X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Evolutionary arms-races between plants and insect herbivores have long been proposed to generate key innovations such as plant toxins and detoxification mechanisms that can drive diversification of the interacting species. A novel front-line of plant defence is the killing of herbivorous insect eggs. We test whether an egg-killing plant trait has an evolutionary basis in such a plant-insect arms-race. Within the crucifer family (Brassicaceae), some species express a hypersensitive response (HR)-like necrosis underneath butterfly eggs (Pieridae) that leads to eggs desiccating or falling off the plant. We studied the phylogenetic distribution of this trait, its egg-killing effect on and elicitation by butterflies, by screening 31 Brassicales species, and nine Pieridae species. We show a clade-specific induction of strong, egg-killing HR-like necrosis mainly in species of the Brassiceae tribe including Brassica crops and close relatives. The necrosis is strongly elicited by pierid butterflies that are specialists of crucifers. Furthermore, HR-like necrosis is linked to PR1 defence gene expression, accumulation of reactive oxygen species and cell death, eventually leading to egg-killing. Our findings suggest that the plants' egg-killing trait is a new front on the evolutionary arms-race between Brassicaceae and pierid butterflies beyond the well-studied plant toxins that have evolved against their caterpillars" |
| Keywords: | Animals *Butterflies Herbivory Larva Phylogeny coevolution counter adaptation egg deposition hypersensitive response induced plant defences plant toxins specialist herbivores; |
| Notes: | "MedlineGriese, Eddie Caarls, Lotte Bassetti, Niccolo Mohammadin, Setareh Verbaarschot, Patrick Bukovinszkine'Kiss, Gabriella Poelman, Erik H Gols, Rieta Schranz, M Eric Fatouros, Nina E eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2020/12/12 New Phytol. 2021 Apr; 230(1):341-353. doi: 10.1111/nph.17145. Epub 2021 Jan 8" |
