Aphid-like insects named whiteflies took a part of plant DNA into their genome millions of years ago. A team of Chinese researchers revealed in a study published in the journal Cell that whiteflies took advantage of this stolen gene to degrade the toxins plants use to protect themselves against insects, allowing those whiteflies to safely feed on those plants.
Horizontal Gene Transfer From Plant to Insect
This discovery is considered the first recorded proof of horizontal transfer of a functional gene from a plant to an insect, the researchers noted in a report on The Atlantic. No other insect species carry the gene, BtPMaT1, which counteracts the plant's toxic compounds, they added.
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Scientists surmise that plants might have used the BtPMaT1 gene within their own cells to keep their noxious compounds harmlessly so that the plants won't poison themselves. The research team utilized a mix of genetic and phylogenetic analyses to show that around 36 million years back, whiteflies took this protective gene, empowering the insect to detoxify the compounds for their own benefit.
