The polyvalent sequestration ability of an economically important beetle

Carla C M Arce; Ricardo A R Machado; Marine Mamin; Gaétan Glauser; Pamela Bruno; Betty Benrey; Matthias Erb; Christelle A M Robert; Ted C J Turlings

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.005

The polyvalent sequestration ability of an economically important beetle

Curr Biol. 2024 Oct 29:S0960-9822(24)01359-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.005. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Carla C M Arce¹, Ricardo A R Machado², Marine Mamin³, Gaétan Glauser⁴, Pamela Bruno³, Betty Benrey⁵, Matthias Erb⁶, Christelle A M Robert⁷, Ted C J Turlings⁸

Affiliations

¹ University of Neuchâtel, Institute of Biology, FARCE Laboratory, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Electronic address: [email protected].
² University of Neuchâtel, Institute of Biology, Experimental Biology, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
³ University of Neuchâtel, Institute of Biology, FARCE Laboratory, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
⁴ University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
⁵ University of Neuchâtel, Institute of Biology, E-vol Laboratory, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
⁶ University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Biotic Interactions Group, 2013 Bern, Switzerland.
⁷ University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Chemical Ecology Group, 2013 Bern, Switzerland.
⁸ University of Neuchâtel, Institute of Biology, FARCE Laboratory, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39504964
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.005

Abstract

Many specialized herbivorous insects sequester single classes of toxic secondary metabolites from their host plants as protection against natural enemies. If and how herbivores can use multiple classes of plant toxins across the large chemical diversity of plants for self-protection is unknown. We show that the polyphagous adults of the beetle Diabrotica virgifera are capable of selectively accumulating benzoxazinoids, cucurbitacins, and glucosinolates but not cyanogenic glycosides. Female beetles transfer the sequestered defense metabolites into their eggs, protecting them against generalist predators. Eggs containing a mixture of toxins are better protected than eggs with individual toxins. This work shows how herbivores can exploit plant chemical diversity to their own benefit as a novel adaptive mechanism that contributes to the structuring of multitrophic interaction networks.

Keywords: benzoxazinoids; cucurbitacins; detoxification; diabroticine beetles; egg protection; glucosinolates; maize; predators.