Spurge toxins as a winder of evolution in hawkmoths: Phorbol ester detoxification by Hyles euphorbiae (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

大戟属植物含有佛波醇酯，具有多种有害生物活性，是大戟科大戟属植物的主要害虫。因此，H.大戟素对高剂量的共致癌佛波醇二酯TPA（12-十四酰基-佛波醇-13-乙酸酯）完全不敏感。申请人公开的和初步的实验表明，幼虫代谢二萜酯，而不是如先前所建议的将其螯合。在TPA喂养的幼虫的粪便中检测到TPA的几种推定代谢产物，表明涉及几种生物途径。本研究对佛波酯在H.本跨学科计画结合分析化学与分子生物学，以获得酶促反应的详尽见解。为了了解这一生态特征的进化相关性，作为一个关键的创新属Hyles，代谢产物的H。将大戟属植物与具有不同偏好（食用植物光谱、对TPA的敏感性）的其他Hyles物种的那些进行比较，并将表征酶候选物。

The larvae of Hyles euphorbiae feed on several spurge species of the genus Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae), containing phorbol esters with numerous harmful biological activities. Accordingly, it has been shown, that H. euphorbiae is completely insensitive to high doses of the co-carcinogenic phorbol diester TPA (12-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate). Published and preliminary experiments by the applicant indicated, that the larvae metabolise the diterpene esters, rather than sequestering them as had been previously suggested. Several putative metabolites of TPA have been detected in the faeces of TPA-fed larvae, suggesting several biological pathways involved. In this project, possible detoxification pathways of phorbol esters by H. euphorbiae shall be elucidated and identified.This interdisciplinary project combines analytical chemistry and molecular biology to gain an exhaustive insight of the enzymatic reactions involved. To understand the evolutionary relevance of this ecological trait as a key innovation within the genus Hyles, metabolites of H. euphorbiae will be compared to those of additional Hyles species with different preferences (food plant spectra, sensitivity to TPA) and enzyme candidates will be characterized.