title: Excretion of miserotoxin and detoxification of the aglycone by grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae).
abstract: Two species of grasshoppers (Melanoplus bivittatus and M. sanguinipes) tolerated high levels of miserotoxin (3-nitro-1-propyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) in their diet. Miserotoxin is a causative agent in cattle poisoning when timber milkvetch (Astragalus miser) is consumed. Toxic effects were averted by grasshoppers in part by excretion of the intact glycoside. When the aglycone was administered, detoxification was achieved by two routes: by oxidation of the aglycone to 3-nitropropionic acid which was then conjugated with glycine, and by glucosylation of the aglycone to miserotoxin, in each case followed by excretion.
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Centre, Lethbridge, TIJ 4B1, Alta, Canada. johnsondl@em.agr.ca
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Majak
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Benn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005960:Glucosides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000378:metabolism*; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic / Q000502:physiology; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011422:Propionates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005960:Glucosides; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; C074869:7-deoxy-13-dihydroadriamycinone; C020776:miserotoxin; D004317:Doxorubicin; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid; D005998:Glycine