期刊
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
卷 6, 期 -, 页码 -出版社
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/srep22407
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资金
- VILLUM Research Center Pro-active Plants and Plant Plasticity
- Danish Council for Independent Research [DFF - 1323-00088]
- Danish National Research Foundation [DNRF107]
- Copenhagen University Excellence Programme for Interdisciplinary Research (CDO)
- Danish Councils for Strategic and Independent Research [12-131859]
- Villum Fonden [00007523] Funding Source: researchfish
Insects often release noxious substances for their defence. Larvae of Zygaena filipendulae (Lepidoptera) secrete viscous and cyanogenic glucoside-containing droplets, whose effectiveness was associated with their physical and chemical properties. The droplets glued mandibles and legs of potential predators together and immobilised them. Droplets were characterised by a matrix of an aqueous solution of glycine-rich peptides (H-WG(11)-NH2) with significant amounts of proteins and glucose. Among the proteins, defensive proteins such as protease inhibitors, proteases and oxidases were abundant. The neurotoxin beta-cyanoalanine was also found in the droplets. Despite the presence of cyanogenic glucosides, which release toxic hydrogen cyanide after hydrolysis by a specific beta-glucosidase, the only beta-glucosidase identified in the droplets (ZfBGD1) was inactive against cyanogenic glucosides. Accordingly, droplets did not release hydrogen cyanide, unless they were mixed with specific beta-glucosidases present in the Zygaena haemolymph. Droplets secreted onto the cuticle hardened and formed sharp crystalline-like precipitates that may act as mandible abrasives to chewing predators. Hardening followed water evaporation and formation of antiparallel beta-sheets of the peptide oligomers. Consequently, after mild irritation, Zygaena larvae deter predators by viscous and hardening droplets that contain defence proteins and beta-cyanoalanine. After severe injury, droplets may mix with exuding haemolymph to release hydrogen cyanide.
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