An Alkaline Foregut Protects Herbivores from Latex in Forage, but Increases Their Susceptibility to Bt Endotoxin

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Author(s)Rajan,Vidya
Date Accessioned2024-02-09T21:18:29Z
Date Available2024-02-09T21:18:29Z
Publication Date2023-11-11
DescriptionThis article was originally published in Life. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/life13112195. © 2023 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
AbstractAbout 10% of angiosperms, an estimated 20,000 species, produce latex from ubiquitous isoprene precursors. Latex, an aqueous suspension of rubber particles and other compounds, functions as an antifeedant and herbivory deterrent. It is soluble in neutral to alkaline pH, and coagulates in acidic environments. Here, I propose that foregut-fermenting herbivores such as ruminants, kangaroos, sloths, insect larvae, and tadpoles have adapted to latex in forage with the evolution of alkaline anterior digestive chamber(s). However, they consequently become susceptible to the action of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) δ-endotoxin and related bioinsecticides which are activated in alkaline environments. By contrast, hindgut-fermenting herbivores, such as horses and rabbits, have acidic anterior digestive chambers, in which latex coagulates and may cause gut blockage, but in which Bt is not activated. The latex-adapted foregut herbivore vs. latex-maladapted hindgut herbivore hypothesis developed in this paper has implications for hindgut-fermenting livestock and zoo animals which may be provided with latex-containing forage that is detrimental to their gut health. Further, ruminants and herbivorous tadpoles with alkaline anterior chambers are at risk of damage by the supposedly “environmentally friendly” Bt bioinsecticide, which is widely disseminated or engineered into crops which may enter animal feed streams.
SponsorThis research received no external funding.
CitationRajan, Vidya. 2023. "An Alkaline Foregut Protects Herbivores from Latex in Forage, but Increases Their Susceptibility to Bt Endotoxin" Life 13, no. 11: 2195. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13112195
ISSN2075-1729
URLhttps://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/33971
Languageen_US
PublisherLife
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywordslatex
Keywordsruminants
Keywordsalkaline gut pH
Keywordsforegut
Keywordshindgut
Keywordsmonogastric
Keywordspolygastric
Keywordsherbivory
Keywordsdeterrent
Keywordsantifeedant
Keywordsevolution
Keywordsdigestive system
Keywordsadaptation
KeywordsB. thuringiensis
KeywordsBt toxin
Keywordsbioinsecticide
TitleAn Alkaline Foregut Protects Herbivores from Latex in Forage, but Increases Their Susceptibility to Bt Endotoxin
TypeArticle
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