Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.

In herbivorous insects, food selection depends on sensitivity to specific chemical stimuli from host-plants as well as to secondary metabolites (bitter) and to sugars (phagostimulatory). Bitter compounds are noxious, unpalatable or both and evoke an aversive feeding response. Instead, sugars and sug...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Giorgia Sollai, Iole Tomassini Barbarossa, Carla Masala, Paolo Solari, Roberto Crnjar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4067346?pdf=render
_version_ 1811266930143657984
author Giorgia Sollai
Iole Tomassini Barbarossa
Carla Masala
Paolo Solari
Roberto Crnjar
author_facet Giorgia Sollai
Iole Tomassini Barbarossa
Carla Masala
Paolo Solari
Roberto Crnjar
author_sort Giorgia Sollai
collection DOAJ
description In herbivorous insects, food selection depends on sensitivity to specific chemical stimuli from host-plants as well as to secondary metabolites (bitter) and to sugars (phagostimulatory). Bitter compounds are noxious, unpalatable or both and evoke an aversive feeding response. Instead, sugars and sugar alcohols play a critical role in determining and enhancing the palatability of foods. We assumed that peripheral taste sensitivity may be related to the width of the host selection. Our model consists of two closely phylogenetically related Papilionid species exhibiting a difference in host plant choice: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon. The spike activity of the lateral and medial maxillary styloconic taste sensilla was recorded following stimulation with several carbohydrates, nicotine and NaCl, with the aim of characterizing their gustatory receptor neurons and of comparing their response patterns in the light of their different acceptability in feeding behaviour. The results show that: a) each sensillum houses phagostimulant and phagodeterrent cells; b) the spike activity of the gustatory neurons in response to different taste stimuli is higher in P. hospiton than in P. machaon; c) sugar solutions inhibit the spike activity of the deterrent and salt cells, and the suppression is higher in P. machaon than in P. hospiton. In conclusion, we propose that the different balance between the phagostimulant and phagodeterrent inputs from GRNs of maxillary sensilla may contribute in determining the difference in food choice and host range.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T20:52:10Z
format Article
id doaj.art-26b0828af40c410bab2f0f836ae9d430
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T20:52:10Z
publishDate 2014-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-26b0828af40c410bab2f0f836ae9d4302022-12-22T03:17:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0196e10067510.1371/journal.pone.0100675Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.Giorgia SollaiIole Tomassini BarbarossaCarla MasalaPaolo SolariRoberto CrnjarIn herbivorous insects, food selection depends on sensitivity to specific chemical stimuli from host-plants as well as to secondary metabolites (bitter) and to sugars (phagostimulatory). Bitter compounds are noxious, unpalatable or both and evoke an aversive feeding response. Instead, sugars and sugar alcohols play a critical role in determining and enhancing the palatability of foods. We assumed that peripheral taste sensitivity may be related to the width of the host selection. Our model consists of two closely phylogenetically related Papilionid species exhibiting a difference in host plant choice: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon. The spike activity of the lateral and medial maxillary styloconic taste sensilla was recorded following stimulation with several carbohydrates, nicotine and NaCl, with the aim of characterizing their gustatory receptor neurons and of comparing their response patterns in the light of their different acceptability in feeding behaviour. The results show that: a) each sensillum houses phagostimulant and phagodeterrent cells; b) the spike activity of the gustatory neurons in response to different taste stimuli is higher in P. hospiton than in P. machaon; c) sugar solutions inhibit the spike activity of the deterrent and salt cells, and the suppression is higher in P. machaon than in P. hospiton. In conclusion, we propose that the different balance between the phagostimulant and phagodeterrent inputs from GRNs of maxillary sensilla may contribute in determining the difference in food choice and host range.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4067346?pdf=render
spellingShingle Giorgia Sollai
Iole Tomassini Barbarossa
Carla Masala
Paolo Solari
Roberto Crnjar
Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.
PLoS ONE
title Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.
title_full Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.
title_fullStr Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.
title_full_unstemmed Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.
title_short Gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.
title_sort gustatory sensitivity and food acceptance in two phylogenetically closely related papilionid species papilio hospiton and papilio machaon
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4067346?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT giorgiasollai gustatorysensitivityandfoodacceptanceintwophylogeneticallycloselyrelatedpapilionidspeciespapiliohospitonandpapiliomachaon
AT ioletomassinibarbarossa gustatorysensitivityandfoodacceptanceintwophylogeneticallycloselyrelatedpapilionidspeciespapiliohospitonandpapiliomachaon
AT carlamasala gustatorysensitivityandfoodacceptanceintwophylogeneticallycloselyrelatedpapilionidspeciespapiliohospitonandpapiliomachaon
AT paolosolari gustatorysensitivityandfoodacceptanceintwophylogeneticallycloselyrelatedpapilionidspeciespapiliohospitonandpapiliomachaon
AT robertocrnjar gustatorysensitivityandfoodacceptanceintwophylogeneticallycloselyrelatedpapilionidspeciespapiliohospitonandpapiliomachaon