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View article: Physiological and transcriptional changes associated with obligate aestivation in the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala)
Physiological and transcriptional changes associated with obligate aestivation in the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala) Open
Aestivation is a form of seasonal dormancy observed in various insect species, usually coinciding with the summer season. The cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a key pest of oilseed rape tha…
View article: Escalation by duplication: Milkweed bug trumps Monarch butterfly
Escalation by duplication: Milkweed bug trumps Monarch butterfly Open
The iconic Monarch butterfly is probably the best‐known example of chemical defence against predation, as pictures of vomiting naive blue jays in countless textbooks vividly illustrate. Larvae of the butterfly take up toxic cardiac glycosi…
View article: Physiological and transcriptional changes associated with obligate aestivation in the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala)
Physiological and transcriptional changes associated with obligate aestivation in the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala) Open
Aestivation is a form of seasonal dormancy observed in various insect species, usually coinciding with the summer season. Psylliodes chrysocephala (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), the cabbage stem flea beetle, is a key pest of oilseed rape and…
View article: The phylogeny of ceutorhynchine weevils (Ceutorhynchinae, Curculionidae): Mitogenome data improve the resolution of tribal relationships
The phylogeny of ceutorhynchine weevils (Ceutorhynchinae, Curculionidae): Mitogenome data improve the resolution of tribal relationships Open
Ceutorhynchinae Gistel are a diverse weevil subfamily of almost worldwide distribution and considerable economic importance. Nevertheless, the classification of Ceutorhynchinae and their phylogenetic relationships are not yet fully resolve…
View article: Biology, Ecology, and Management of Flea Beetles in <i>Brassica</i> Crops
Biology, Ecology, and Management of Flea Beetles in <i>Brassica</i> Crops Open
Brassica vegetable and oilseed crops are attacked by several different flea beetle species (Chrysomelidae: Alticini). Over the past decades, most research has focused on two Phyllotreta species, Phyllotreta striolata and Phyllotreta crucif…
View article: Different myrosinases activate sequestered glucosinolates in larvae and adults of the horseradish flea beetle
Different myrosinases activate sequestered glucosinolates in larvae and adults of the horseradish flea beetle Open
β-Glucosidases play an important role in the chemical defense of many insects by hydrolyzing and thereby activating glucosylated pro-toxins that are either synthesized de novo or sequestered from the insect's diet. The horseradish flea bee…
View article: A radiation of <i>Psylliodes</i> flea beetles on Brassicaceae is associated with the evolution of specific detoxification enzymes
A radiation of <i>Psylliodes</i> flea beetles on Brassicaceae is associated with the evolution of specific detoxification enzymes Open
Flea beetles of the genus Psylliodes have evolved specialized interactions with plant species belonging to several distantly related families, mainly Brassicaceae, Solanaceae, and Fagaceae. This diverse host use indicates that Psylliodes f…
View article: Jumping to new hosts: the diversification of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticini) in the context of their host plant associations
Jumping to new hosts: the diversification of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticini) in the context of their host plant associations Open
Flea beetles (Alticini) represent one of the most diverse groups within the family Chrysomelidae and are associated with more than 100 different plant families. Conspicuously, only 10 genera account for about a quarter of flea beetle diver…
View article: Different Myrosinases Activate Sequestered Glucosinolates in Larvae and Adults of the Horseradish Flea Beetle
Different Myrosinases Activate Sequestered Glucosinolates in Larvae and Adults of the Horseradish Flea Beetle Open
View article: Biosynthesis of iridoid sex pheromones in aphids
Biosynthesis of iridoid sex pheromones in aphids Open
Iridoid monoterpenes, widely distributed in plants and insects, have many ecological functions. While the biosynthesis of iridoids has been extensively studied in plants, little is known about how insects synthesize these natural products.…
View article: Metabolization and sequestration of plant specialized metabolites in insect herbivores: Current and emerging approaches
Metabolization and sequestration of plant specialized metabolites in insect herbivores: Current and emerging approaches Open
Herbivorous insects encounter diverse plant specialized metabolites (PSMs) in their diet, that have deterrent, anti-nutritional, or toxic properties. Understanding how they cope with PSMs is crucial to understand their biology, population …
View article: Biosynthesis of iridoid sex pheromones in aphids
Biosynthesis of iridoid sex pheromones in aphids Open
Iridoid monoterpenes, widely distributed in plants and insects, have many ecological functions. While the biosynthesis of iridoids has been extensively studied in plants, little is known about how insects synthesize these natural products.…
View article: Metabolization and Sequestration of Plant Specialized Metabolites in Insect Herbivores: Current and Emerging Approaches
Metabolization and Sequestration of Plant Specialized Metabolites in Insect Herbivores: Current and Emerging Approaches Open
Herbivorous insects encounter diverse plant specialized metabolites (PSMs) in their diet, that have deterrent, anti-nutritional, or toxic properties. Understanding how they cope with PSMs is crucial to understand their biology, population …
View article: Rapid and Selective Absorption of Plant Defense Compounds From the Gut of a Sequestering Insect
Rapid and Selective Absorption of Plant Defense Compounds From the Gut of a Sequestering Insect Open
Many herbivorous insects exploit defense compounds produced by their host plants for protection against predators. Ingested plant defense compounds are absorbed via the gut epithelium and stored in the body, a physiological process that is…
View article: Hijacking the Mustard-Oil Bomb: How a Glucosinolate-Sequestering Flea Beetle Copes With Plant Myrosinases
Hijacking the Mustard-Oil Bomb: How a Glucosinolate-Sequestering Flea Beetle Copes With Plant Myrosinases Open
Myrosinase enzymes play a key role in the chemical defense of plants of the order Brassicales. Upon herbivory, myrosinases hydrolyze the β-S-linked glucose moiety of glucosinolates, the characteristic secondary metabolites of brassicaceous…
View article: Sugar transporters enable a leaf beetle to accumulate plant defense compounds
Sugar transporters enable a leaf beetle to accumulate plant defense compounds Open
Many herbivorous insects selectively accumulate plant toxins for defense against predators; however, little is known about the transport processes that enable insects to absorb and store defense compounds in the body. Here, we investigate …
View article: A specialist flea beetle manipulates and tolerates the activated chemical defense in its host plant
A specialist flea beetle manipulates and tolerates the activated chemical defense in its host plant Open
Glucosinolates, the characteristic secondary metabolites of Brassicales, are hydrolyzed upon herbivory by myrosinases to toxic and deterrent defense metabolites. The specialist flea beetle, Phyllotreta armoraciae , sequesters glucosinolate…
View article: Sugar transporters enable a leaf beetle to accumulate plant defense compounds
Sugar transporters enable a leaf beetle to accumulate plant defense compounds Open
Many herbivorous insects selectively accumulate plant toxins for defense against predators; however, little is known about the transport processes that enable insects to absorb and store defense compounds in the body. Here, we investigate …
View article: Gut microbiota degrades toxic isothiocyanates in a flea beetle pest
Gut microbiota degrades toxic isothiocyanates in a flea beetle pest Open
Microbial symbionts of herbivorous insects have been suggested to aid in the detoxification of plant defense compounds; however, quantitative studies on microbial contribution to plant toxin degradation remain scarce. Here, we demonstrate …
View article: The phytopathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum detoxifies plant glucosinolate hydrolysis products via an isothiocyanate hydrolase
The phytopathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum detoxifies plant glucosinolate hydrolysis products via an isothiocyanate hydrolase Open
Brassicales plants produce glucosinolates and myrosinases that generate toxic isothiocyanates conferring broad resistance against pathogens and herbivorous insects. Nevertheless, some cosmopolitan fungal pathogens, such as the necrotrophic…
View article: Ontogenetic differences in the chemical defence of flea beetles influence their predation risk
Ontogenetic differences in the chemical defence of flea beetles influence their predation risk Open
Several insect species have evolved two‐component chemical defences that enable the rapid release of deterrent or toxic metabolites upon predator attack. However, whether these chemical defences vary across insect ontogeny and how this aff…
View article: Glucosinolate Abundance and Composition in Brassicaceae Influence Sequestration in a Specialist Flea Beetle
Glucosinolate Abundance and Composition in Brassicaceae Influence Sequestration in a Specialist Flea Beetle Open
View article: Identification and evolution of glucosinolate sulfatases in a specialist flea beetle
Identification and evolution of glucosinolate sulfatases in a specialist flea beetle Open
Glucosinolates, a characteristic group of specialized metabolites found in Brassicales plants, are converted to toxic isothiocyanates upon herbivory. Several insect herbivores, including the cabbage stem flea beetle ( Psylliodes chrysoceph…
View article: Adaptation of flea beetles to Brassicaceae: host plant associations and geographic distribution of Psylliodes Latreille and Phyllotreta Chevrolat (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)
Adaptation of flea beetles to Brassicaceae: host plant associations and geographic distribution of Psylliodes Latreille and Phyllotreta Chevrolat (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) Open
The cosmopolitan flea beetle genera Phyllotreta and Psylliodes (Galerucinae, Alticini) are mainly associated with host plants in the family Brassicaceae and include economically important pests of crucifer crops. In this review, the host p…
View article: Chemical convergence between plants and insects: biosynthetic origins and functions of common secondary metabolites
Chemical convergence between plants and insects: biosynthetic origins and functions of common secondary metabolites Open
Summary Despite the phylogenetic distance between plants and insects, these two groups of organisms produce some secondary metabolites in common. Identical structures belonging to chemical classes such as the simple monoterpenes and sesqui…
View article: One Pathway Is Not Enough: The Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala Uses Multiple Strategies to Overcome the Glucosinolate-Myrosinase Defense in Its Host Plants
One Pathway Is Not Enough: The Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala Uses Multiple Strategies to Overcome the Glucosinolate-Myrosinase Defense in Its Host Plants Open
The cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala) is a key pest of oilseed rape in Europe, and is specialized to feed on Brassicaceae plants armed with the glucosinolate-myrosinase defense system. Upon tissue damage, the β-thi…
View article: Tissue-Specific Emission of (E)-α-Bergamotene Helps Resolve the Dilemma When Pollinators Are Also Herbivores
Tissue-Specific Emission of (E)-α-Bergamotene Helps Resolve the Dilemma When Pollinators Are Also Herbivores Open
View article: The Aggregation Pheromone of Phyllotreta striolata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Revisited
The Aggregation Pheromone of Phyllotreta striolata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Revisited Open
Aggregations of the striped flea beetle Phyllotreta striolata on their crucifer host plants are mediated by volatiles emitted from feeding males. The male-specific sesquiterpene, (6R,7S)-himachala-9,11-diene (compound A), was shown previou…
View article: Novel family of terpene synthases evolved from <i>trans</i> -isoprenyl diphosphate synthases in a flea beetle
Novel family of terpene synthases evolved from <i>trans</i> -isoprenyl diphosphate synthases in a flea beetle Open
Significance Whether insect sesquiterpenes are synthesized de novo, derived from plant precursors, or produced by symbionts is often unknown. We identified an evolutionarily novel terpene synthase gene family in the striped flea beetle, a …
View article: Pheromone Blend Analysis and Cross-Attraction among Populations of Maruca vitrata from Asia and West Africa
Pheromone Blend Analysis and Cross-Attraction among Populations of Maruca vitrata from Asia and West Africa Open