| community-wide convergent evolution in insect adaptation to toxic cardenolides by substitutions in the na,k-atpase. | the extent of convergent molecular evolution is largely unknown, yet is critical to understanding the genetics of adaptation. target site insensitivity to cardenolides is a prime candidate for studying molecular convergence because herbivores in six orders of insects have specialized on these plant poisons, which gain their toxicity by blocking an essential transmembrane carrier, the sodium pump (na,k-atpase). we investigated gene sequences of the na,k-atpase α-subunit in 18 insects feeding on c ... | 2012 | 22826239 |