title: The Green Gut: Chlorophyll Degradation in the Gut of Spodoptera littoralis.
abstract: Chlorophylls, the most prominent natural pigments, are part of the daily diet of herbivorous insects. The spectrum of ingested and digested chlorophyll metabolites compares well to the pattern of early chlorophyll-degradation products in senescent plants. Intact chlorophyll is rapidly degraded by proteins in the front- and midgut. Unlike plants, insects convert both chlorophyll a and b into the corresponding catabolites. MALDI-TOF/MS imaging allowed monitoring the distribution of the chlorophyll catabolites along the gut of Spodoptera littoralis larvae. The chlorophyll degradation in the fore- and mid-gut is strongly pH dependent, and requires alkaline conditions. Using LC-MS/MS analysis we identified a lipocalin-type protein in the intestinal fluid of S. littoralis homolog to the chlorophyllide a binding protein from Bombyx mori. Widefield and high-resolution autofluorescence microscopy revealed that the brush border membranes are covered with the chlorophyllide binding protein tightly bound via its GPI-anchor to the gut membrane. A function in defense against gut microbes is discussed.
authors.forename: Amarsanaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badgaa
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Büchler
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wielsch
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walde
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heintzmann
authors.forename: Yannik
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pauchet
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Svatos
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ploss
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000378:metabolism; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D054834:Lipocalins; D002734:Chlorophyll