HOMOBATRACHOTOXIN IN THE GENUS PITOHUI - CHEMICAL DEFENSE IN BIRDS
HOMOBATRACHOTOXIN IN THE GENUS PITOHUI - CHEMICAL DEFENSE IN BIRDS
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DOI：
10.1126/science.1439786
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发表时间：
1992-10-30
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
GARRAFFO, HM
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
DUMBACHER, JP;BEEHLER, BM;GARRAFFO, HM
新几内亚次区域特有的 Pitohui 属中的三种雀形目鸟类含有类固醇生物碱同型蛇毒，显然是一种化学防御。毒素浓度因物种而异，但皮肤和羽毛中的毒素浓度始终最高。同型箭毒蛙毒素是统称为箭毒蛙毒素的一类化合物中的一员，以前认为这种化合物仅限于新热带箭毒蛙属箭毒蛙。鲫鱼中同型蛇毒素的出现表明鸟类和青蛙独立进化出此类生物碱。
Three passerine species in the genus Pitohui, endemic to the New Guinea subregion, contain the steroidal alkaloid homobatrachotoxin, apparently as a chemical defense. Toxin concentrations varied among species but were always highest in the skin and feathers. Homobatrachotoxin is a member of a class of compounds collectively called batrachotoxins that were previously considered to be restricted to neotropical poison-dart frogs of the genus Phyllobates. The occurrence of homobatrachotoxin in pitohuis suggests that birds and frogs independently evolved this class of alkaloids.