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

  1. Wybouw, N. 5
  2. Dermauw, W. 5
  3. Tirry, L. 5
  4. Stevens, C. 5
  5. Grbic, M. 14
  6. Feyereisen, R. 3
  7. Van Leeuwen, T. 25
  1. 1 University of Western Ontario
    info

    University of Western Ontario

    London, Canadá

    ROR https://ror.org/02grkyz14

  2. 2 University of Amsterdam
    info

    University of Amsterdam

    Ámsterdam, Holanda

    ROR https://ror.org/04dkp9463

  3. 3 Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
    info

    Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique

    París, Francia

  4. 4 Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino
    info

    Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino

    Logroño, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01rm2sw78

  5. 5 Ghent University
    info

    Ghent University

    Gante, Bélgica

    ROR https://ror.org/00cv9y106

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Revista:
elife

ISSN: 2050-084X

Año de publicación: 2014

Volumen: 2014

Número: 3

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.7554/ELIFE.02365 SCOPUS: 2-s2.0-84899644845 GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Otras publicaciones en: elife

Repositorio institucional: lock_openAcceso abierto Editor

Resumen

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 glucosides. The nature of the enzyme known to detoxify HCN to β-cyanoalanine in arthropods has remained enigmatic. Here we identify this enzyme by transcriptome analysis and functional expression. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the gene is a member of the cysteine synthase family horizontally transferred from bacteria to phytophagous mites and Lepidoptera. The recombinant mite enzyme had both β-cyanoalanine synthase and cysteine synthase activity but enzyme kinetics showed that cyanide detoxification activity was strongly favored. Our results therefore suggest that an ancient horizontal transfer of a gene originally involved in sulfur amino acid biosynthesis in bacteria was co-opted by herbivorous arthropods to detoxify plant produced cyanide.