Studies on the cardenolide sequestration in African milkweed butterflies (Danaidae).

摘要: Butterflies of the Danaidae family are considered to be toxic or distasteful due presence cardiac glycosides sequestered from their larval food plants. Alcoholic extracts specimens Danaus chrysippus aegyptius and Amauris ochlea southern Africa (Namibia, S.-Africa, Mozambique) were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography for these cardenolides. But only 4 75 D. contained trace amounts, all others including 13 A. negative. Genetic analysis ouabain binding site Na(+), K(+)-ATPase revealed that both species do not present an amino acid replacement at position 122, which otherwise makes enzyme insensitive cardenolides suggesting other strategies toxin tolerance must have been developed.