Pinoresinol: A lignol of plant origin serving for defense in a caterpillar.
Pinoresinol, a lignan of wide distribution in plants, is found to occur as a minor component in the defensive secretion produced by glandular hairs of caterpillars of the cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae. The compound or a derivative is appropriated by the larva from its normal food plant (the cabbage, Brassica oleracea). Pinoresinol was shown to be absent from the secretion if the larva was given a cabbage-free diet but present in the effluent if that diet was supplemented with pinoresinol. Pinoresinol is shown to be a feeding deterrent to ants (Formica exsectoides), indicating that it can complement the defensive action of the primary components of the secretion, a set of previously reported lipids called mayolenes. In the test with F. exsectoides, pinoresinol proved to be more potent than concomitantly tested mayolene-16.
Schroeder
Frank C
FC
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
del Campo
Marta L
ML
Grant
Jacqualine B
JB
Weibel
Douglas B
DB
Smedley
Scott R
SR
Bolton
Kelly L
KL
Meinwald
Jerrold
J
Eisner
Thomas
T
D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000378:metabolism; D001937:Brassica / Q000737:chemistry; D002080:Butterflies / Q000196:embryology; D004032:Diet; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006027:Glycosides / Q000737:chemistry; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017705:Lignans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005663:Furans; D006027:Glycosides; D017705:Lignans; D010936:Plant Extracts; C470898:mayolene-16; C103298:pinoresinol