Symbiont-mediated chemical defense in the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis.

ABSTRACT: The volatile alkylpyrazines methyl- and methoxypyrazines (MPs) present in the reflex bleeds of coccinellid beetles such as the harlequin ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis are important semiochemicals that function in antipredatory defense behavior. Pyrazines have also been coadapted from a primarily defensive role into pheromones that function in intraspecific communication, attraction, and aggregation behavior. However, the biosynthesis of MPs in ladybird beetles is poorly understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that MPs could be produced by microbial symbionts in H. axyridis, which generates four different MPs. The evaluation of tissue-specific MP production showed that MP concentrations were highest in the gut tissue and hemolymph of the beetles rather than the fat body

SUBMITTER: Schmidtberg H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6392489 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature