Plant-allelochemical-adapted glutathione transferases in Lepidoptera
1992
Yu, S.J.
Glutathione transferases metabolized toxic allelochemicals, including alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, isothiocyanates and organothiocyanates in lepidopterous insects. These transferase activities in the specialist velvetbean caterpillar are lower than in the generalist fall armyworm; the activity toward the isothiocyanates in the crucifer-adapted cabbage looper was 2- to 6-fold higher than that in the fall armyworm. Host plants such as crucifers and umbellifers, and allelochemicals such as coumarins, indoles, flavonoids, isothiocyanates and monoterpenes induced glutathione transferases in these insects. The highly polyphagous Lepidoptera, fall armyworm and corn earworm, possessed multiple glutathione transferases containing six and four isozymes, respectively, whereas the more specialized Lepidoptera, tobacco budworm, cabbage looper and velvetbean caterpillar, had a single form of the enzyme. The results suggest that glutathione transferases play an important role in allelochemical resistance in phytophagous Lepidoptera.
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