Trichome acylsugar defenses are equally effective against leaf-mining and free-living insects
Zongyan Sun, Xiaochan Pan, Simin Bi, Yirui Zhang, Junling Dun, Dina Mahesati, Yibin Lin, Ying Fu, Yang Gao, Xiaoyan Xu, Na Chen, Jiarui Xing, Wenfeng Ye, Minbiao Ji, Ian Thomas Baldwin, Jiancai Li
The paper shows that trichome-produced acylsugars inhibit leafminer larvae growth and are translocated into mesophyll tissues via an ABC transporter, defending against both ectophagous and endophagous herbivores.
Current Biology · Sep 23, 2026Peer-reviewedPlant Biology