Transcriptomics of monarch butterflies (<i>Danaus plexippus</i>) reveals that toxic host plants alter expression of detoxification genes and down‐regulate a small number of immune genes

Tan, Wen-Hao; Acevedo, Tarik; Harris, Erica V.; Alcaide, Tiffanie; Walters, James R.; Hunter, Mark D.; Roode, Jacobus C. de

doi:10.1111/mec.15219

Cited by 45 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 87 publications

(128 reference statements)

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“…From the work by Tan et al (2019), the evolutionary story may simply be that higher sequestration leads to greater protection from infection, and therefore using the high-cardenolide host plant is selected for. Individuals on the low-cardenolide host plant up-regulated ABC transporters (which have been linked to secondary metabolite sequestration) in an apparent attempt to increase the rate of sequestration to concentrate cardenolides.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the transcriptome data generated from Tan et al (2019) could be mined to discover novel parasite genes associated with invasion of its host. In particular, how O. elektroscirrha stealthily achieves infection, apparently without triggering a robust immune response from the host, is worthy of further investigation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If there was any doubt of the primary role that plant secondary metabolites play in host-parasite co-evolution, the "From the Cover" paper by Tan et al (2019) featured in this issue of Molecular Ecology will lay these doubts to rest. The group's previous work on monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) infected with the protozoan pathogen Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) demonstrated higher survival and lower spore load on high cardenolide-producing milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) (Figure 1a) compared with low cardenolide-producing milkweed (A. incarnata) (de Roode, Pedersen, Hunter, & Altizer, 2008) (Figure 1b).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…However, the role of the caterpillar immune system in managing this parasite is largely unknown. Novel insights into the influence of toxic plant metabolites on caterpillar immunity are explored in Tan et al (2019). Using transcriptomics to probe this model system, the authors found that herbivore immune genes were down-regulated and detoxification genes were up-regulated when larvae were reared on the milkweed species with high cardenolide concentrations (A. curassavica).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…However, the cost becomes worth the investment when chemical sequestration takes on an antipathogen role. The novelty of the Tan et al (2019) paper is that they show the investment in sequestration leading to a possible divestment in immunity.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Unlocking the genetic basis of monarch butterflies' use of medicinal plants

Smilanich

Nuss

2019

Molecular Ecology

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A comparison between the two milkweed species revealed a total of five immune genes that were down-regulated in larvae reared on the high-cardenolide species (Figure 1). The authors acknowledged that this was not a large number of immune genes that were downregulated (four in gut tissue, one in the rest of the body). However, if the products of these immune genes are resource-expensive, then individuals with less investment in immunity can rely instead on sequestered cardenolides, which should be favoured by selection. From the data here, this selection would only have occurred when individuals were feeding on the high-cardenolide host plant because the down-regulation does not occur on the low-cardenolide host plant. This evidence also suggests that down-regulation is

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Unlocking the genetic basis of monarch butterflies' use of medicinal plants

Smilanich

Nuss

2019

Molecular Ecology

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Physiological adaptations to sugar‐mimic alkaloids: Insights from Bombyx mori for long‐term adaption and short‐term response

Jia

Dai

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Insects evolved adaptive plasticity to minimize the effects of the chemical defenses of their host plants. Nevertheless, the expressional response and adaptation of phytophagous specialists for long‐term adaption and short‐term response to host phytochemicals remains largely unexplored. The mulberry (Morus alba)–silkworm (Bombyx mori) interaction is an old and well‐known model of plant–insect interaction. In this study, we examined the long‐term adaption and short‐term response of the mulberry‐specialist silkworm to two sugar‐mimic alkaloids in mulberry: the commonly encountered 1‐deoxynojirimycin (1‐DNJ) and occasionally encountered 1,4‐dideoxy‐1,4‐imino‐D‐arabinitol (D‐AB1), respectively. Global transcriptional patterns revealed that the physiological responses induced by the selective expression of genes involved in manifold cellular processes, including detoxification networks, canonical digestion processes, target enzymes, and other fundamental physiological processes, were crucial for regulating metabolic homeostasis. Comparative network analysis of the effects of exposure to D‐AB1 and 1‐DNJ supported the contention that B. mori produced similar and specific trajectories of changed gene expression in response to different sugar‐mimic alkaloids. D‐AB1 elicited a substantial proportion of downregulated genes relating to carbohydrate metabolism, catabolic process, lipid metabolism, and glycan biosynthesis and metabolism. This study dramatically expands our knowledge of the physiological adaptations to dietary sugar‐mimic alkaloid intake and uncovered both metabolic evolutionarily responses and unique adaptive mechanisms previously unknown in insects.

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