Gut-specific cardenolide-resistant sodium pump primed an omnivore to feed on toxic oleander

• Published in: iScience Vol. 25; no. 12; p. 105616
• Main Authors: Wang, Tianyu, Shi, Lina, Zhen, Ying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 22.12.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological sciences; Evolutionary biology; Molecular biology; Evolutionary biology; Molecular biology; Biological sciences
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105616

Apocynaceae plants produce toxic cardenolides to defend against their herbivores. Cardenolides could inhibit the α subunit of Na+⁄K+-ATPase (ATPα), which plays critical roles in biological processes such as muscle contraction, neural function, and osmoregulation. Numerous herbivores that specialized on cardenolides-producing milkweeds carry parallel molecular changes in ATPα that confer resistance. We found that Pacific Ducetia (Ducetia japonica), an omnivorous katydid, could feed on cardenolides-rich oleander leaves. ATPα in D. japonica has undergone parallel molecular changes just like milkweed specialists. These changes evolved at the common ancestors of the leaf katydids before the diversification of Apocynaceae and may prime species in this lineage to feed on cardenolides-rich food. In summary, we reported the first case of cardenolide resistance in katydid, with convergent molecular evolution in ATPα, also an unusual case of cardenolides resistance in nonspecialist species that evolved earlier than the currently known cardenolide-producing plants. [Display omitted] •First case of cardenolide resistance in an omnivorous katydid•Molecular convergence in ATPα with cardenolide-resistant specialist herbivores•A gut-specific resistant copy of ATPα in leaf katydids (Phaneropterinae)•Evolution of resistance before currently known cardenolide-producing plants Biological sciences; Molecular biology; Evolutionary biology