Abstract
The parsnip webworm,Depressaria pastinacella (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae), feeds on plants rich in furanocoumarins, phototoxic allomones. Final-instar larvae possess high levels of activities of antioxidant enzymes (Superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase), which detoxify oxygen radicals generated from the furanocoumarins of their host plants. When added to an artificial diet, three linear furanocoumarins (xanthotoxin, bergapten, imperatorin) do not increase levels of the antioxidant enzymes. However, on diets containing both xanthotoxin and piperonyl butoxide, a cytochrome P-450 inhibitor, food utilization indices of the insect are reduced and superoxide dismutase activity is enhanced. These data suggest that cytochrome P-450s act as a primary detoxification system of ingested furanocoumarin, and antioxidant enzymes as a backup system to detoxify oxygen radicals generated by unmetabolized furanocoumarins.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmad, S., Pritsos, C.A., Bowen, S.M., Kirkland, K.E., Blomquist, G.J., andPardini, R.S. 1987. Activities of enzymes that detoxify superoxide anion and related toxic oxyradicals inTrichoplusia ni.Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 6:85–96.
Berenbaum, M.R. 1978. Toxicity of a furanocoumarin to armyworms: A case of biosynthetic escape from insect herbivores.Science 201:532–534.
Berenbaum, M., andNeal, J.J. 1985. Synergism between myristicin and xanthotoxin, a naturally cooccurring plant toxicant.J. Chem. Ecol. 11:1349–1358.
Berenbaum, M.R., Zangerl, A.R., andNitao, J.K. 1984. Furanocoumarins in seeds of wild and cultivated parsnip.Phytochemistry 23:1809–1810.
Berenbaum, M.R., Zangerl, A.R., andNitao, J.K. 1986. Constraints on chemical coevolution: Wild parsnips and the parsnip webworm.Evolution 40:1215–1228.
Berenbaum, M.R., Zangerl, A.R., andLee, K. 1989. Chemical barriers to adaptation by a specialist herbivore.Oecologia (Berlin) 80:501–506.
Bus, J.S., andGibson, J.E. 1979. Lipid peroxidation and its role in toxicology.Rev. Biochem. Toxicol. 1:125–149.
De Mol, N.J., Reisch, J., andBeijersbergen van Henegouwen, G.M.J. 1984. On the involvement of singlet oxygen in the biosynthesis of oxygenation products of the furocoumarin imperatorin.Z. Naturforsch. Teil B 39:1433–1441.
Fridovich, I. 1983. Superoxide radical: An endogenous toxicant.Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 23:239–257.
Hodges, R.W. 1974. Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae; the Moths of North America North of Mexico, fascicle 6.2. E.W. Classy Limited and R.B.D. Publications Inc., London.
Joshi, P.C., andPathak, M.A. 1983. Production of singlet oxygen and superoxide radicals by psoralens and their biological significance.Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 112:638–646.
Larson, R.A. 1986. Insect defenses against phototoxic plant chemicals.J. Chem. Ecol. 12:859–870.
Lee, K. 1989. Enzymatic defenses against plant phototoxins in phytophagous insects. PhD dissertation. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Lee, K., andBerenbaum, M.R. 1989. Action of antioxidant enzymes and cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases in the cabbage looper in response to plant phototoxins.Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 10:151–162.
Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., andRandall, R.J. 1951. Protein measurement with the Polin phenol reagent.J. Biol. Chem. 193:265–275.
Metcalf, R.L. 1967. Mode of action of insecticide synergists.Amu. Rev. Entomol. 12:229–256.
Murray, R.D.H., Mendez, J., andBrown, S.A. 1982. The Natural Coumarins. Occurrence, Chemistry and Biochemistry. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Chichester. 702 pp.
Neal, J.J. 1989. Myristicin, safrole, and fagaramide as phytosynergists of xanthotoxin.J. Chem. Ecol. 15:309–315.
Nitao, J.K. 1987. Adaptations to furanocoumarins ofPastinaca sativa byDepressaria pastinacella (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae). PhD dissertation. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Nitao, J.K. 1989. Enzymatic adaptation in a specialist herbivore for feeding on furanocoumarin-containing plants.Ecology 70:629–635.
Nitao, J.K., andBerenbaum, M.R. 1988. Laboratory rearing of the parsnip webworm,Depressaria pastinacella (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae).Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 81:485–487.
Nitao, J.K., andZangerl, A.R. 1987. Floral development and chemical defense allocation in wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa).Ecology 68:521–529.
Pardini, R.S., Pritsos, C.A., Bowen, S.M., Ahmad, S., andBlomquist, G.J. 1989. Adaptations to plant pro-oxidants in a phytophagous insect model: Enzymatic protection from oxidative stress, pp. 725–728,in M.G. Simic, K. Taylor, J.F. Ward, and C. von Sonntag (eds.). Oxygen Radicals in Biology and Medicine. Plenum Press, New York.
Schimmer, O., andAbel, G. 1986. Mutagenicity of a furocoumarin epoxide, heraclenin, inChlamydomonas reinhardii.Mutation Res. 169:47–50.
Song, P.S., andTapley, K., Jr. 1979. Photochemistry and photobiology of psoralens.Photochem. Photobiol. 29:1177–1197.
Specht, K.G., Kittler, L., andMidden, W.R. 1988. A new biological target of furanocoumarins: Photochemical formation of covalent adducts with unsaturated fatty acids.Photochem. Photobiol. 47:537–541.
Waldbauer, G.P. 1968. The consumption and utilization of food by insects.Adv. Insect Physiol. 5:229–288.
Yoshikawa, K., Mori, N., Sakakibara, S., Mizuno, N., andSong, P.-S. 1979. Photo-conjugation of 8-methoxypsoralen with proteins.Photochem. Photobiol. 29:1127–1133.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, K., Berenbaum, M.R. Defense of parsnip webworm against phototoxic furanocoumarins: Role of antioxidant enzymes. J Chem Ecol 16, 2451–2460 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01017468
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01017468