Revisão sobre biotransformação de terpenoides, fenóis e alcalóides por Lepidoptera

Abstract

The occurrence of secondary compounds in angiosperms plays an important role against insect herbivory. However, some lepidopterans have developed resistance strategies to cope with their harmful effects. The biosynthetic pathways that describe the sequestration and biotransformation of these compounds are still poorly understood. This literature survey highlights the relationship between Lepidoptera and angiosperm families, and the involvement of the main classes of secondary metabolites: terpenoids, phenols, and alkaloids. The terms “biotransformation” and “Lepidoptera” were searched in the Scopus and Google Scholar databases. Only articles that examined biotransformation in non-generalist lepidopteran species were selected. Twenty-four studies were found on the biotransformation of secondary metabolites involving nine Lepidoptera families and eleven angiosperm families. Among them, four deal with terpenoids, seven with phenols, and fifteen with alkaloids. The small set of identified interactions underscores a notable gap in research concerning the mechanisms by which secondary metabolites are detoxified and sequestered, reinforcing the idea that these processes have shaped evolutionary relationships between lepidopterans and angiosperms. Further investigations are essential to elucidate the ecological and evolutionary importance of these compounds and the metabolic routes that mediate these interactions.