| Title: | Spatial organization of the glucosinolate-myrosinase system in brassica specialist aphids is similar to that of the host plant |
| Author(s): | Bridges M; Jones AM; Bones AM; Hodgson C; Cole R; Bartlet E; Wallsgrove R; Karapapa VK; Watts N; Rossiter JT; |
| Address: | "Department of Agricultural Sciences, Imperial College at Wye, University of London, Wye, Kent TN25 5AH, UK" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0962-8452 (Print) 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Secondary metabolites are important in plant defence against pests and diseases. Similarly, insects can use plant secondary metabolites in defence and, in some cases, synthesize their own products. The paper describes how two specialist brassica feeders, Brevicoryne brassicae (cabbage aphid) and Lipaphis erysimi (turnip aphid) can sequester glucosinolates (thioglucosides) from their host plants, yet avoid the generation of toxic degradation products by compartmentalizing myrosinase (thioglucosidase) into crystalline microbodies. We propose that death, or damage, to the insect by predators or disease causes disruption of compartmentalized myrosinase, which results in the release of isothiocyanate that acts as a synergist for the alarm pheromone E-beta-farnesene" |
| Keywords: | Animals Aphids/*metabolism/ultrastructure Brassica/*metabolism Glucosinolates/*metabolism Glycoside Hydrolases/*metabolism; |
| Notes: | "MedlineBridges, Matthew Jones, Alexandra M E Bones, Atle M Hodgson, Chris Cole, Rosemary Bartlet, Elspeth Wallsgrove, Roger Karapapa, Vassiliki K Watts, Nigel Rossiter, John T eng England 2002/01/19 Proc Biol Sci. 2002 Jan 22; 269(1487):187-91. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2001.1861" |
