Gene amplification and microsatellite polymorphism underlie a recent insect host shift.

ABSTRACT: Host plant shifts of herbivorous insects may be a first step toward sympatric speciation and can create new pests of agriculturally important crops; however, the molecular mechanisms that mediate this process are poorly understood. Certain races of the polyphagous aphid Myzus persicae have recently adapted to feed on tobacco (Myzus persicae nicotianae) and show a reduced sensitivity to the plant alkaloid nicotine and cross-resistance to neonicotinoids a class of synthetic insecticides widely used for control. Here we show constitutive overexpression of a cytochrome P450 (CYP6CY3) allows tobacco-adapted races of M. persicae to efficiently detoxify nicotine and has preadapted them to resist neonicotinoid insecticides. CYP6CY3, is highly overexpressed in M. persicae nicotianae clones from thr

SUBMITTER: Bass C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3845143 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature