A conserved hymenopteran-specific family of cytochrome P450s protects bee pollinators from toxic nectar alkaloids

Abstract

Many plants produce chemical defense compounds as protection against antagonistic herbivores. However, how beneficial insects such as pollinators deal with the presence of these potentially toxic chemicals in nectar and pollen is poorly understood. Here, we characterize a conserved mechanism of plant secondary metabolite detoxification in the Hymenoptera, an order that contains numerous highly beneficial insects. Using phylogenetic and functional approaches, we show that the CYP336 family of cytochrome P450 enzymes detoxifies alkaloids, a group of potent natural insecticides, in honeybees and other hymenopteran species that diverged over 281 million years. We linked this function to an aspartic acid residue within the main access channel of CYP336 enzymes that is highly conserved within this P450 family. Together, these results provide detailed insights into the evolution of P450s as a key component of detoxification systems in hymenopteran species and reveal the molecular basis of adaptations arising from interactions between plants and beneficial insects.