Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Phloem-sap feeding by animals: problems and solutions.

A E Douglas1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York YO10 5YW, UK. aed2@york.ac.uk

Journal of Experimental Botany
|February 2, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Phloem sap, though nutrient-rich, is exclusively consumed by Hemiptera insects due to specialized adaptations. These insects rely on symbiotic microbes for essential amino acids and possess unique gut enzymes to process high sugar content.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Avoidance of Hypoxia in a Cnidarian Symbiosis by Algal Photosynthetic Oxygen.

The Biological bulletin·2018
Same author

How symbiotic bacteria influence plant utilisation by the polyphagous aphid, Aphis fabae.

Oecologia·2017
Same author

Intraguild predators and the spatial distribution of a parasitoid.

Oecologia·2017
Same author

Evolutionary conservation of candidate osmoregulation genes in plant phloem sap-feeding insects.

Insect molecular biology·2016
Same author

Making the most of "omics" for symbiosis research.

The Biological bulletin·2012
Same author

Genetic and metabolic determinants of nutritional phenotype in an insect-bacterial symbiosis.

Molecular ecology·2011

Area of Science:

  • Plant-animal interactions
  • Insect physiology
  • Symbiosis

Background:

  • Phloem sap is nutrient-rich but rarely a sole food source for animals.
  • Only insects from the order Hemiptera exclusively consume phloem sap.
  • This feeding strategy presents physiological challenges due to high sugar and amino acid imbalances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explain the paradox of phloem sap's limited animal consumption.
  • To detail the adaptations enabling Hemiptera insects to thrive on phloem sap.
  • To explore the role of symbiotic microorganisms and gut enzymes in this dietary specialization.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on Hemiptera feeding habits and physiology.
  • Analysis of symbiotic relationships between Hemiptera and microorganisms (e.g., Buchnera, Blochmannia).
  • Examination of enzymatic adaptations in insect guts for processing phloem sap.

Main Results:

  • Hemiptera insects possess symbiotic bacteria (e.g., Buchnera) that synthesize essential amino acids lacking in phloem sap.
  • Insects have gut sucrase-transglucosidase activity to convert excess sugars into honeydew, reducing osmotic stress.
  • Honeydew, while less extreme, is also consumed by other animals, sometimes with the aid of their own symbionts (e.g., Blochmannia in ants).

Conclusions:

  • Specialized symbiotic relationships and unique digestive enzymes are key adaptations for Hemiptera feeding on phloem sap.
  • These adaptations allow insects to overcome the nutritional and osmotic challenges posed by phloem sap.
  • The study highlights the intricate co-evolutionary strategies enabling specialized diets in the animal kingdom.

Related Experiment Videos