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Does sensitivity to FACs result in higher resistance against herbivory?
Author(s) -
Conner Allie,
Grisset Laquita,
Stratmann Johannes
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.628.5
Subject(s) - manduca sexta , nicotiana benthamiana , nicotiana tabacum , biology , protein kinase a , botany , sphingidae , kinase , biochemistry , larva , gene
Nicotiana sylvestris , N. knightiana, N. tabacum and N. benthamiana are members of the tobacco family, two of which have displayed sensitivity to fatty acid‐amino acid conjugates (FAC's) present in the salivary secretions of herbivorous insects, including the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta . We have determined through mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) assays that N. benthamiana and N. tabacum , but not N. sylvestris and N. knightiana, have MAPK activity when exposed to FAC's and we will test the hypothesis that FAC‐sensitive species are better defended against herbivory. M. sexta larvae on N. benthamiana and N. tabacum are expected to be smaller with a higher rate of mortality due to the plants' ability to detect FAC's as danger signals and then produce anti‐digestive proteins that inhibit growth. Inversely, we expect M. sexta larvae on N. sylvestris and N. knightiana to grow faster and have a lower rate of mortality as they lack sensitivity to FACs and thus a means to induce a defense response.