Abstract
The cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, produces pierisin-1, a protein inducing apoptosis of mammalian cells. In the present study, the biological activity of pierisin-1 as a protective agent against parasitic wasps for P. rapae was examined. Pierisin-1 caused detrimental effects on eggs and larvae of non-habitual parasitoids for P. rapae, Glyptapanteles pallipes, Cotesia kariyai and Cotesia plutellae at 1–100 µg/ml, levels essentially equivalent to those found in P. rapae larvae. In contrast, eggs and larvae of the natural parasitoid of P. rapae, Cotesia glomerata proved resistant to the toxicity of pierisin-1 through inhibition of pierisin-1 penetration of the surface layer. The expression level of pierisin-1 mRNA in the larvae of P. rapae was increased by parasitization by C. plutellae, whereas it was decreased by C. glomerata. In addition, C. plutellae was associated with elevation of activated pierisin-1 in the hemolymph. From these observations, it is suggested that pierisin-1 could contribute as a defense factor against parasitization by some type of wasps in P. rapae.
Highlights
Pierisin-1 is a cytotoxic protein found in the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) [1,2]
We found that pierisin-1 was able to cause damage to eggs and larvae of nonhabitual parasitic wasps, Glyptapanteles pallipes, Cotesia kariyai and Cotesia plutellae, whereas the habitual parasitic wasp C. glomerata could evade damage
C. glomerata, C. plutellae and C. kariyai belong to the same Cotesia genus
Summary
Pierisin-1 is a cytotoxic protein found in the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) [1,2]. Incorporated into mammalian cells expressing glycosphingolipid receptors such as globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and globotetraosylceramide (Gb4) [3], pierisin-1 catalyzes ADP-ribosylation of guanine residues of DNA, induces apoptosis [4]. Based on the above data, it is suggested that pierisin-1 may play important roles in induction of apoptosis to remove larval cells in the pupation of P. rapae. Another possibility is that the strong cytotoxicity of pierisin-1 might be effective as a protective agent against microbes and/or parasitoids. The actual biological significance of pierisin-1 in Pieris butterflies has yet to be fully elucidated
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