Bernays E A, Rodrigues D, Chapman R F, Singer M S, Hartmann T
Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, PO Box 210088, Tucson, AZ 85721-0088, USA.
J Exp Biol. 2003 Dec;206(Pt 24):4487-96. doi: 10.1242/jeb.00705.
Electrophysiological recordings from taste sensilla of the caterpillar Estigmene acrea with the pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) seneciphylline N-oxide demonstrated that extensive feeding on plants rich in PAs caused a loss in response of the PA-sensitive cell in the lateral styloconic sensillum on the galea. The effect could be repeated using pure PAs fed to the insect in synthetic diets and by injection of PA into the hemolymph. The sensitivity loss lasted for approximately two hours and was less pronounced in individuals that had been reared on PA-containing food. Behavioral experiments and field observations demonstrate a parallel reduction in responsiveness to PAs and to PA-containing plants.
对取食含有吡咯里西啶生物碱（PA）的氧化千里光碱的美国白蛾毛虫味觉感器进行的电生理记录表明，大量取食富含PA的植物会导致位于下颚叶侧柱形感器中对PA敏感的细胞反应丧失。使用合成饲料中喂食昆虫的纯PA以及将PA注射到血淋巴中也能重复这种效应。敏感性丧失持续约两小时，并且在以含PA食物饲养的个体中不太明显。行为实验和野外观察表明，对PA和含PA植物的反应性同时降低。
