Abstract
Limonoids such as deoxylimonin, obacunone and pedonin are known to have antifeedant effects against some lepidopteran pests. However, there is no electrophysiological data showing the effect these compounds have on taste receptor cells. This information gap is due to the fact that limonoids are insoluble in water and this makes it difficult to apply the tip-recording technique in an electrophysiological bioassay of limonoids. This problem was solved by dissolving the limonoids in a mixture of SO % tetrahydrof uran and 50 % aqueous NaCl. Limonoids and sucrose so dissolved were used to investigate responses of Eldana saccharina maxillary styloconic sensilla. The solvent mixture did not appear to damage the taste receptor cells and the taste receptor responses to solutes dissolved in that solvent were reproducible. Sucrose stimulated a cell in the medial as well as in the lateral styloconic sensilla. Deoxylimonin alone stimulated a cell in the medial sensillum but not in the lateral sensillum. When presented with sucrose, deoxylimonin inhibited the sugar receptor cell and this was also true for obacunone.
Résumé
Les limonoides tels que la déoxylimonine, l’obacunone et la pédonine sont connus pour leurs propriétés désappéntantes sur certains lépidoptères ravageurs. Cependant il n’existe aucune donnée électrophysiologique mettant en évidence l’effet de ces substances sur les cellules des récepteurs gustatifs. Cette lacune provient de la difficulté d’appliquer une technique d’enregistrement distal avec les limonoides, qui sont insolubles dans l’eau. Les limonoides ont donc été dissouts dans un mélange de 50% tetrahydrofurane et 50% NaCl en solution aqueuse. On a observé la réponse des sensilles maxillaires stylo-coniques aux limonoides et an sucrose ainsi préparés. Le mélange de solvants ne semble pas endommager les cellules du récepteur gustatif et al réponse aux solutés est reproductible. Le sucrose stimule une cellule du sensille stylo-conique médian ainsi que du sensille stylo-conique latéral. La déoxylimonine seule ne stimule que le sensille médian. La déoxylimonine et l’obacunone inhibe la réponse au sucrose de la cellule réceptrice du sucre.
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Waladde, S.M., Hassanali, A. & Ochieng, S.A. Taste Sensilla Responses to Limonoids, Natural Insect Antifeedants. Int J Trop Insect Sci 10, 301–308 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400003532
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400003532