Phylogenetic incongruence and the evolutionary origins of cardenolide-resistant forms of Na(+) ,K(+) -ATPase in Danaus butterflies.

ABSTRACT: Many distantly related insect species are specialized feeders of cardenolide-containing host plants such as milkweed (Asclepias spp.). Previous studies have revealed frequent, parallel substitution of a functionally important amino acid substitution (N122H) in the alpha subunit of Na(+) ,K(+) -ATPase in a number of these species. This substitution facilitates the ability of these insects to feed on their toxic hosts and sequester cardenolides for their own use in defense. Among milkweed butterflies of the genus Danaus, the previously established phylogeny for this group suggests that N122H arose independently and fixed in two distinct lineages. We reevaluate this conclusion by examining Danaus phylogenetic relationships using >400 orthologous gene sequences assembled from transcriptome dat

SUBMITTER: Aardema ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4980202 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature