| host range of clostridium bifermentans serovar. malaysia, a mosquitocidal anaerobic bacterium. | clostridium bifermentans serovar. malaysia (c.b.m.) is toxic to mosquito larvae. in this study, we quantified its toxicity to the mosquitoes, aedes aegypti, ae. albopictus, ae. caspius, ae. detritus, anopheles stephensi, an. gambiae, culex pipiens and cx. quinquefasciatus. anopheles larvae are the most susceptible, followed by ae. detritus and ae. caspius, then culex and other aedes larvae. according to mosquito species, the lc50 varies from 7 x 10(3) to 1.3 x 10(6) cells/ml. three concentration ... | 1992 | 1357087 |
| implication of hmgr in homeostasis of sequestered and de novo produced precursors of the iridoid biosynthesis in leaf beetle larvae. | insects employ iridoids to deter predatory attacks. larvae of some chrysomelina species are capable to produce those cyclopentanoid monoterpenes de novo. the iridoid biosynthesis proceeds via the mevalonate pathway to geranyl diphospate (gdp) subsequently converted into 8-hydroxygeraniol-8-o-beta-d-glucoside followed by the transformation into the defensive compounds. we tested whether the glucoside, its aglycon or geraniol has an impact on the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coa reductas ... | 2008 | 18070667 |
| putative sugar transporters of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae: their phylogeny and role for nutrient supply in larval defensive glands. | phytophagous insects have emerged successfully on the planet also because of the development of diverse and often astonishing defensive strategies against their enemies. the larvae of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae, for example, secrete deterrents from specialized defensive glands on their back. the secretion process involves atp-binding cassette transporters. therefore, sugar as one of the major energy sources to fuel the atp synthesis for the cellular metabolism and transport proc ... | 2013 | 24391959 |
| independently recruited oxidases from the glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase family enabled chemical defences in leaf beetle larvae (subtribe chrysomelina) to evolve. | larvae of the leaf beetle subtribe chrysomelina sensu stricto repel their enemies by displaying glandular secretions that contain defensive compounds. these repellents can be produced either de novo (iridoids) or by using plant-derived precursors (e.g. salicylaldehyde). the autonomous production of iridoids, as in phaedon cochleariae, is the ancestral chrysomeline chemical defence and predates the evolution of salicylaldehyde-based defence. both biosynthesis strategies include an oxidative step ... | 0 | 24943369 |
| molecular cloning of cdnas encoding a range of digestive enzymes from a phytophagous beetle, phaedon cochleariae. | to gain better knowledge of the variety of digestive enzymes in phytophagous coleopteran pests, a sequencing screen of 76 random cdnas from a gut library from phaedon cochleariae larvae was performed. the screen yielded 21 cdnas encoding amino-acid sequences homologous to known digestive enzymes, most of them were cell wall-hydrolysing enzymes. the deduced protein sequences of 7 cdnas encoding putative alpha-amylase, cysteine proteinase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, cellulase, pectinase and xylanase d ... | 1999 | 10612046 |
| antimicrobial activity of exocrine glandular secretions, hemolymph, and larval regurgitate of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae | larvae and adults of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae (coleoptera: chrysomelidae) possess exocrine glands with secretions which are used in defense against predators. this study addressed the question whether these defensive secretions also display antimicrobial activity. additionally, the effects of larval and adult hemolymph and larval regurgitate toward microorganisms were examined. the larval glandular secretion showed growth-inhibitory activity against the gram-negative bacterium ... | 1998 | 9784354 |
| are iridoids in leaf beetle larvae synthesized de novo or derived from plant precursors? a methodological approach. | iridoids, belonging to a group of cyclopentanoid monoterpenoids, are secreted by many species of leaf beetles as a defense against predators. using chemically modified precursors of iridoid biosynthesis, it has been shown that some leaf beetle larvae can synthesize these iridoids de novo as well as sequester plant-produced molecules. stable isotope techniques can provide useful methods for studying terpenoid biosynthesis without disturbing the natural conditions much. two terpenoid biosynthesis ... | 2004 | 15370280 |
| indirect interactions between a phytopathogenic and an entomopathogenic fungus. | slow growth in herbivores may lead to higher mortality, due to prolonged exposure to natural enemies. a number of studies has tested the 'slow-growth, high-mortality' hypothesis using predators or parasitoids as natural enemies of the herbivore, but the possible role of pathogens is poorly documented. we provide evidence that phytopathogenic infection of a plant enhances the susceptibility of herbivore larvae to a generalist entomopathogen. larvae of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae g ... | 2003 | 12590299 |
| unexpected effects of chitinases on the peach-potato aphid (myzus persicae sulzer) when delivered via transgenic potato plants (solanum tuberosum linné) and in vitro. | with the aim of producing insect-resistant potato plants, internode explants of solanum tuberosum l. cv. désirée were transformed with an agrobacterium strain c58pmp90 containing an insect (phaedon cochleariae: coleoptera, chrysomelidae) chitinase gene and the neomycin phosphotransferase (nptii) gene as selectable marker, both under the control of the viral camv 35s promoter. three transformed potato lines (ch3, ch5 and ch25) exhibiting the highest chitinolytic activities were selected for feedi ... | 2005 | 15865049 |
| sequestration of plant-derived phenolglucosides by larvae of the leaf beetle chrysomela lapponica: thioglucosides as mechanistic probes. | feeding larvae of chrysomela lapponica (coleoptera: chrysomelidae) acquire characteristic o-glucosides from the leaves of their food plants. the glucosides are selectively channeled from the gut to the defensive gland. subsequent enzymatic transformations generate a blend of different defensive compounds, e.g., salicylaldehyde and two series of 2-methylbutyl and isobutyryl esters. by using systematically modified and hydrolysis-resistant thioglucosides as structural mimics of the plant-derived g ... | 2007 | 17080305 |
| iridoid biosynthesis in chrysomelina larvae: fat body produces early terpenoid precursors. | larvae of the chrysomelina species phaedon cochleariae and gastrophysa viridula produce monoterpenoids (iridoids) to defend themselves against predatory attacks by presenting the toxins upon attack as droplets on the top of nine pairs of dorsal glands. although the conversion of 8-hydroxygeraniol-8-o-beta-d-glucoside into the iridoids in the glandular reservoir has been studied in detail, the synthesis of the glucosidically bound precursor received only limited attention. we compared larvae of t ... | 2007 | 17296500 |
| comparative physiological responses in chinese cabbage induced by herbivory and fungal infection. | fungal infection of chinese cabbage leaves by alternaria brassicae has earlier been shown to have detrimental effects on larval development of the chrysomelid beetle phaedon cochleariae. furthermore, adults of this leaf beetle avoid fungus-infected chinese cabbage leaves for oviposition and feeding. however, herbivory had no impact on fungal growth. in this study, we investigated physiological responses of the host plant to herbivore attack and fungal infection in order to elucidate the mechanis ... | 2002 | 12564792 |
| consequences of mating with siblings and nonsiblings on the reproductive success in a leaf beetle. | choosing a suitable mating partner is crucial for the fitness of an individual, whereby mating with siblings often results in inbreeding depression. we studied consequences of mating with siblings versus nonsiblings in the mustard leaf beetle, phaedon cochleariae (coleoptera: chrysomelidae), on lifetime reproductive traits. furthermore, we analyzed whether cuticular hydrocarbon (chc) profiles are family specific and could potentially influence the mating behavior of young adults. we hypothesized ... | 2016 | 27103986 |
| phenotypic plasticity of mate recognition systems prevents sexual interference between two sympatric leaf beetle species. | maladaptive sexual interactions among heterospecific individuals (sexual interference) can prevent the coexistence of animal species. thus, the avoidance of sexual interference by divergence of mate recognition systems is crucial for a stable coexistence in sympatry. mate recognition systems are thought to be under tight genetic control. however, we demonstrate that mate recognition systems of two closely related sympatric leaf beetle species show a high level of host-induced phenotypic plastici ... | 2016 | 27272669 |
| transcriptional responses to short-term and long-term host plant experience and parasite load in an oligophagous beetle. | oligophagous herbivores must adjust their enzymatic machinery to the different host plant species they consume. if different hosts are used from one generation to the next, adaptation may be highly plastic, while if a single host is used over several generations, there may be a longer-term response due to natural selection. using an experimental evolutionary approach, we investigated effects of long-term experience vs. short-term responses to different host plants in the oligophagous mustard lea ... | 2017 | 28921776 |
| phenotype of a leaf beetle larva depends on host plant quality and previous test experience. | phenotypic expressions of insects are strongly dependent on various external and internal factors, like diet or density and age or sex. however, environmental effects on the behavioural phenotype and repeatability are rather unexplored for holometabolous insects in their larval stage. we examined the effects of the food environment (young versus old cabbage leaves) and previous test experience on growth and behaviour of phaedon cochleariae larvae. a more nutritious diet, i.e., young leaves, had ... | 2017 | 28552703 |
| sublethal insecticide exposure affects reproduction, chemical phenotype as well as offspring development and antennae symmetry of a leaf beetle. | the area of agriculturally used land and following to that the use of pesticides are steadily increasing. insecticides do not only reduce pest organisms on crops but can also affect non-target organisms when present in sublethal concentrations in the environment. we investigated the effects of an exposure to sublethal pyrethroid (lambda-cyhalothrin) concentrations, at doses 20 and 60 times lower than the lc50, respectively, on reproductive traits and adult cuticular hydrocarbon (chc) profiles of ... | 2017 | 28719883 |
| iridoid biosynthesis in staphylinid rove beetles (coleoptera: staphylinidae, philonthinae). | the biosynthesis of chrysomelidial and plagiodial was studied in the rove beetle subtribe philonthina (staphylinidae). glandular homogenates were found to convert synthetic (2e,6e)-[trideuteromethyl-5,5-(2)h(5)]octa-2,6-diene-1,8-diol (10) into nor-chrysomelidial (14) and nor-plagiodial (13). the overall transformation requires; i) oxidation of the substrate at c(1) and c(8), ii) cyclization of the resulting dialdehyde to nor-plagiodial followed by iii) isomerization to give nor-chrysomelidial. ... | 2001 | 11267897 |
| abc transporter functions as a pacemaker for sequestration of plant glucosides in leaf beetles. | plant-herbivore interactions dominate the planet's terrestrial ecology. when it comes to host-plant specialization, insects are among the most versatile evolutionary innovators, able to disarm multiple chemical plant defenses. sequestration is a widespread strategy to detoxify noxious metabolites, frequently for the insect's own benefit against predation. in this study, we describe the broad-spectrum atp-binding cassette transporter cpmrp of the poplar leaf beetle, chrysomela populi as the first ... | 2013 | 24302568 |
| a versatile transport network for sequestering and excreting plant glycosides in leaf beetles provides an evolutionary flexible defense strategy. | the larval defenses of chrysomeline leaf beetles comprise components that are either synthesized de novo or sequestered from their food plants. both biosynthetic modes are based on glucosides that serve as substrates and forms of transport. the defensive glands import the compounds through highly selective glucoside transporters from a circulating pool in the hemolymph. here we address the selectivity of the different transport systems with larvae of chrysomela populi, an obligate sequestering s ... | 2009 | 19623597 |
| a common theme in extracellular fluids of beetles: extracellular superoxide dismutases crucial for balancing ros in response to microbial challenge. | extracellular cu/zn superoxide dismutases (sods) are critical for balancing the level of reactive oxygen species in the extracellular matrix of eukaryotes. in the present study we have detected constitutive sod activity in the haemolymph and defensive secretions of different leaf beetle species. exemplarily, we have chosen the mustard leaf beetle, phaedon cochleariae, as representative model organism to investigate the role of extracellular sods in antimicrobial defence. qualitative and quantita ... | 2016 | 27068683 |
| behavioural phenotypes over the lifetime of a holometabolous insect. | behavioural traits can differ considerably between individuals, and such differences were found to be consistent over the lifetime of an organism in several species. whether behavioural traits of holometabolous insects, which undergo a metamorphosis, are consistent across ontogeny is virtually unexplored. we investigated several behavioural parameters at five different time points in the lifetime of the holometabolous mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae (coleoptera: chrysomelidae), two times ... | 2015 | 26816525 |
| the effect of dietary fatty acids on the cuticular hydrocarbon phenotype of an herbivorous insect and consequences for mate recognition. | the cuticular hydrocarbon (chc) profile of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae is known to mediate mate recognition and is dependent on food plant species; beetles previously were shown to prefer mates that fed on the same plant species and which have a similar chc pattern. in order to elucidate whether the pattern of ingested fatty acids affects the chc pattern of p. cochleariae adults, we fed beetles: (a) with two different host plant species differing in fatty acid profile; and (b) ar ... | 2015 | 25516227 |
| the genome of the mustard leaf beetle encodes two active xylanases originally acquired from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. | the primary plant cell wall comprises the most abundant polysaccharides on the earth and represents a rich source of energy for organisms which have evolved the ability to digest them. enzymes able to degrade plant cell wall polysaccharides are widely distributed in micro-organisms but are generally absent in animals, although their presence in insects, especially phytophagous beetles from the superfamilies chrysomeloidea and curculionoidea, has recently begun to be appreciated. the observed pat ... | 2013 | 23698014 |
| combining proteomics and transcriptome sequencing to identify active plant-cell-wall-degrading enzymes in a leaf beetle. | the primary plant cell wall is a complex mixture of polysaccharides and proteins encasing living plant cells. among these polysaccharides, cellulose is the most abundant and useful biopolymer present on earth. these polysaccharides also represent a rich source of energy for organisms which have evolved the ability to degrade them. a growing body of evidence suggests that phytophagous beetles, mainly species from the superfamilies chrysomeloidea and curculionoidea, possess endogenous genes encodi ... | 2012 | 23116131 |
| adult beetles compensate for poor larval food conditions. | life history traits of herbivores are highly influenced by the quality of their hosts, i.e., the composition of primary and secondary plant metabolites. in holometabolous insects, larvae and adults may face different host plants, which differ in quality. it has been hypothesised that adult fitness is either highest when larval and adult environmental conditions match (environmental matching) or it may be mainly determined by optimal larval conditions (silver spoon effect). alternatively, the adu ... | 2016 | 26906247 |
| larval performance of the mustard leaf beetle (phaedon cochleariae, coleoptera, chrysomelidae) on white mustard (sinapis alba) and watercress (nasturtium officinale) leaves in dependence of plant exposure to ultraviolet radiation. | short-term exposure to ambient or attenuated ultraviolet (uv) radiation resulted in shifts in plant metabolite concentrations of the brassicaceae sinapis alba and nasturtium officinale. leaf quality also varied between plant species and within species due to age. larvae of the oligophagous leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae were raised on these different host leaves, in order to investigate the effects of variable plant chemistry on this herbivore. the performance of p. cochleariae was influenced b ... | 2009 | 19278760 |
| a novel cellulase gene from the mulberry longicorn beetle, apriona germari: gene structure, expression, and enzymatic activity. | we have previously cloned a cellulase [beta-1,4-endoglucanase (egase), ec 3.2.1.4] cdna (ag-egase i) belonging to glycoside hydrolase family (ghf) 45 from the mulberry longicorn beetle, apriona germari. we report here the gene structure, expression and enzyme activity of an additional celluase (ag-egase ii) from a. germari and also described the gene structure of ag-egase i. the ag-egase ii gene spans 1033 bp and consisted of two introns and three exons coding for 239 amino acid residues. the 27 ... | 2005 | 15763510 |
| cdna cloning, expression, and enzymatic activity of a cellulase from the mulberry longicorn beetle, apriona germari. | a novel cellulase [beta-1,4-endoglucanase (egase), ec 3.2.1.4] cdna belonging to glycoside hydrolase family (ghf) 45 was cloned from the mulberry longicorn beetle, apriona germari. the cdna encoding egase of a. germari (ag-egase) is 711 bp long with an open reading frame of 237 amino acid residues. the ag-egase was closely related to another beetle, phaedon cochleariae, cellulase and one symbiotic protist cellulase in the hindgut of the termite reticulitermes speratus, those belonging to ghf 45. ... | 2004 | 15364293 |
| molecular cloning of a gut-specific chitinase cdna from the beetle phaedon cochleariae. | a cdna encoding a chitinase of pheadon cochleariae was isolated from a larval gut library. the cdna encodes a preenzyme with a putative 20 amino-acid signal peptide and a 385 amino-acid mature enzyme of calculated mass of 42.7 kda. amino-acid alignment shows 24-33% identity to other insect and crustacea chitinases. the sequence lacks c-terminus domains but active site residues are conserved. northern analysis localizes the mrna to guts of feeding larvae. southern blot analysis, with a complete c ... | 1999 | 10406092 |
| precise rnai-mediated silencing of metabolically active proteins in the defence secretions of juvenile leaf beetles. | allomones are widely used by insects to impede predation. frequently these chemical stimuli are released from specialized glands. the larvae of chrysomelina leaf beetles produce allomones in gland reservoirs into which the required precursors and also the enzymes are secreted from attached gland cells. hence, the reservoirs can be considered as closed bio-reactors for producing defensive secretions. we used rna interference (rnai) to analyse in vivo functions of proteins in biosynthetic pathways ... | 2012 | 22874750 |
| biosynthesis of isoxazolin-5-one and 3-nitropropanoic acid containing glucosides in juvenile chrysomelina. | stable-isotope-labeled precursors were used to establish the biosynthetic pathway leading from β-alanine towards isoxazolin-5-one glucoside 1 and its 3-nitropropanoate (3-npa) ester 2 in chrysomelina larvae. both structural elements originate from sequestered plant-derived β-alanine or from propanoyl-coa that is derived from the degradation of some essential amino acids, e.g. valine. β-alanine is converted into 3-npa and isoxazolinone 5 by consecutive oxidations of the amino group of β-ala. subs ... | 2016 | 27272952 |
| the consequences of alternating diet on performance and food preferences of a specialist leaf beetle. | the food quality of a given host plant tissue will influence the performance and may also affect the preference behavior of herbivorous animals. as nutrient contents and defense metabolite concentrations can vary significantly between different parts of a plant and change over time, herbivores are potentially confronted with diet differing in quality even when feeding on a single plant individual. here we investigated to what extent feeding exclusively either on young or old, mature leaves of br ... | 2013 | 23727303 |
| high level of resistance to proteinase inhibitors may be conferred by proteolytic cleavage in beetle larvae. | incorporation of genes encoding proteinase inhibitors into oilseed rape genome could confer resistance to coleoptera, which are the major pests on rape in europe. a detailed study of the digestive proteinase of a model cruciferous-feeding coleoptera, phaedon cochleariae, showed that this insect relies on a complex proteolytic system including serine, cysteine, aspartyl proteinases, and leucine aminopeptidases. the inhibition of general and specific activities by a range of proteinase inhibitors ... | 1998 | 9684331 |
| looking for a similar partner: host plants shape mating preferences of herbivorous insects by altering their contact pheromones. | the role of phenotypical plasticity in ecological speciation and the evolution of sexual isolation remains largely unknown. we investigated whether or not divergent host plant use in an herbivorous insect causes assortative mating by phenotypically altering traits involved in mate recognition. we found that males of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae preferred to mate with females that were reared on the same plant species to females provided with a different plant species, based on div ... | 2012 | 22708843 |
| the role of cuticular hydrocarbons in male mating behavior of the mustard leaf beetle, phaedon cochleariae (f.). | we investigated the role that cuticular hydrocarbons (chc) play in sexual communication by the mustard leaf beetle, phaedon cochleariae (coleoptera: chrysomelidae). in laboratory bioassays, male p. cochleariae attempted to copulate with living or freeze-killed females as often as with males. however, the duration of copulation with females was longer than with males. to elucidate the impact of chc on this behavior, cuticular compounds of adults of both sexes were extracted with dichloromethane. ... | 2009 | 19838865 |
| a new insecticidal protolimonoid from aegle marmelos. | bioassay-directed fractionation of the ethyl acetate extracts of the stem bark of aegle marmelos correa (rutaceae) afforded a new compound, named skimmiarepin c, along with skimmiarepin a. the latter is a known compound but isolation from a. marmelos is new. the new compound is a senecioate ester analogue of the latter. full identification of the new compound was achieved using spectroscopic methods on the separated mono-acetate derivatives. skimmiarepins a and c exhibit moderate insecticidal ac ... | 2004 | 14984083 |
| phaedon cochleariae (f.) performance on different crucifer varieties with different glucosinolate profiles. | the mustard leaf beetle, phaedon cochleariae (f.) (coleoptera: chrysomelidae), is a serious insect pest of cruciferous crops, known especially in europe. feeding performances of p. cochleariae on six varieties of crucifer crops (sinapis alba, flata and litember; raphanus sativus, münchener bier and runder schwarzer winter; and brassica chinensis, joi choi and black behi) was investigated. the larval performance, measured by weight increase within seven days, was significantly different among six ... | 2008 | 19226796 |
| electrostatic application of inert silica dust based insecticides onto plant surfaces. | one of the most effective naturally occurring insecticide powders is diatomaceous earth (de), which contains above 96 % of silica (silicon dioxide sio2). in recent days, the possibility to use new improved de formulations for plant protection in horticulture has been the focus of research. for aphids and other under-leaf insects only insecticides deposited on leaf undersides are effective. we tested electrostatic application of different silica containing dusts onto the cruciferous crop pak-choi ... | 2006 | 17390789 |
| different oviposition behaviour in chrysomelid beetles: characterisation of the interface between oviposition secretion and the plant surface. | the behavioural sequence of the oviposition process can be quite distinct in herbivorous leaf beetles: eggs are either connected to the plant surface or laid into mesophyll tissue. females of two beetle species were recorded with a digital camera in order to analyse their oviposition behaviour. the morphology of the plant-egg-interface was investigated in three species by histological studies and scanning electron microscopy. the lily leaf beetle, lilioceris lilii, oviposits directly on the plan ... | 2006 | 18089069 |
| beetles do it differently: two stereodivergent cyclisation modes in iridoid-producing leaf-beetle larvae. | larvae of the chrysomelina species phaedon cochleariae, hydrothassa marginella, phratora vulgatissima, gastrophysa viridula, gastrophysa atrocyanea, gastrophysa cyanea and gastrophysa polygoni produce the iridoid chrysomelidial (1) to defend themselves against predators. feeding experiments with a deuterated precursor ([(2)h(5)]8-hydroxygeraniol 9) and in vitro isotope exchange experiments with defensive secretion in (2)h(2)o revealed differences in the cyclisation of the ultimate precursor 8-ox ... | 2013 | 23341265 |
| metal ions control product specificity of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases in the insect terpenoid pathway. | isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (idss) produce the ubiquitous branched-chain diphosphates of different lengths that are precursors of all major classes of terpenes. typically, individual short-chain idss (scidss) make the c10, c15, and c20 isoprenyl diphosphates separately. here, we report that the product length synthesized by a single scids shifts depending on the divalent metal cofactor present. this previously undescribed mechanism of carbon chain-length determination was discovered for a sc ... | 2013 | 23440195 |