A gene horizontally transferred from bacteria protects arthropods from host plant cyanide poisoning

• Published in: eLife Vol. 3; p. e02365
• Main Authors: Wybouw, Nicky, Dermauw, Wannes, Tirry, Luc, Stevens, Christian, Grbić, Miodrag, Feyereisen, René, Van Leeuwen, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 24.04.2014; eLife Sciences Publication; eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
• Subjects: Alanine - analogs & derivatives; Alanine - metabolism; Amino acids; Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Arthropoda; Arthropods; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Biosynthesis; cyanogenesis; Cysteine synthase; Cysteine Synthase - genetics; Cysteine Synthase - metabolism; Detoxification; Environmental Sciences; Enzymes; Flowers & plants; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Genomics and Evolutionary Biology; Glucosides; Glycosides - metabolism; Herbivores; Horizontal transfer; Host plants; Hydrogen cyanide; Hydrogen Cyanide - toxicity; L-3-Cyanoalanine synthase; lateral gene transfer; Life Sciences; Lyases - genetics; Lyases - metabolism; Phylogeny; phytophagy; Plant protection; Sulfur; Tetranychidae - genetics; Tetranychus urticae; Transcription, Genetic; Tetranychus urticae; phytophagy; cyanogenesis; lateral gene transfer

Cyanogenic glucosides are among the most widespread defense chemicals of plants. Upon plant tissue disruption, these glucosides are hydrolyzed to a reactive hydroxynitrile that releases toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Yet many mite and lepidopteran species can thrive on plants defended by cyanogenic g...