Detoxification of conifer antimicrobial defenses promotes entomopathogenic fungus infection of bark beetles.

ABSTRACT: After consumption by herbivores, plant antimicrobial defense compounds may enhance herbivore immunity to pathogenic microbes. In conifer-bark beetle interactions, beetles ingest large quantities of phloem tissue containing high concentrations of antimicrobial phenolic glucosides, such as stilbenes and flavonoids. It is not known, however, if these compounds increase bark beetle resistance to pathogens. We showed that Eurasian spruce bark beetles (Ips typographus) attacking Norway spruce (Picea abies) hydrolyze phenolic glucosides to their corresponding aglucones increasing their antifungal activity. However, the entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana, a natural fungal parasite of these beetles, detoxifies stilbene and flavonoid aglucones by forming methylglucoside derivativ

SUBMITTER: Sun R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12773783 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature