Publications

Betz, A., Höglinger, B., Walker, F., Petschenka, G. (accepted): Regionality and temporal dynamics of sequestration and relocation of cardenolides in the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus. Journal of Chemical Ecology

Kuhn, D., Nägele, N., Tolasch, T., Petschenka, G., Steidle, J.L.M. (2024): Can a mixture of farnesene isomers avert the infestation of aphids in sugar beet crops?. Insects 15, 736, https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100736

Piepho, H.-P., Malik, W.A., Bischoff, R., El-Hasan, A., Scheer, C., Sedlmeier, J.E., Gerhards, R., Petschenka, G., Vögele, R. (2024): Efficacy assessment in crop protection: a tutorial on the use of Abbott’s formula. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection, doi.org/10.1007/s41348-024-00968-0

Agrawal, A.A., Hastings, A.P., Lenhart, P.A., Blecher, M., Duplais, C, Petschenka, G., Hawlena, D., Wagschal, V., Dobler, S. (2024): Convergence and divergence among herbivorous insects specialized on toxic plants: revealing syndromes among the cardenolide-feeders across the insect tree of life. The American Naturalist, doi.org/10.1086/731277

Betz, A., Bischoff, R., Petschenka, G. (2024): Late instar monarch caterpillars sabotage milkweed to acquire toxins, not to disarm plant defence. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 291, 20232721, http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.2721

Bischoff, R., Pokharel, P., Miedtke, P., Piepho, H.P., Petschenka, G. (2023): Environmental complexity and predator density mediate a stable earwig-woolly apple aphid interaction. Basic and Applied Ecology, doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2023.12.003

Yang, L., Borne, F., Betz, A., Aardema, M.L., Zhen, Y., Peng, J., Visconti, R., Wu, M., Roland, B.P., Talsma, A.D., Palladino, M., Petschenka, G., Andolfatto, P. (2023): Predatory fireflies and their toxic firefly prey have evolved distinct toxin-resistance strategies. Current Biology, doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.063

Espinosa del Alba, L., Petschenka, G. (2023): A simple artificial diet for feeding and sequestration assays for the milkweed bugs Oncopeltus fasciatus and Spilostethus saxatilis (Heteroptera: Lygaeinae). Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 171, 658-667, doi.org/10.1111/eea.13337

Heyworth, H.C., Pokharel, P., Blount, J.D., Mitchell, C., Petschenka, G., Rowland, H.M. (2023): Antioxidant availability trades off with warning signals and toxin sequestration in the large milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus). Ecology and Evolution,  doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9971

Espinosa del Alba, L., Petschenka, G. (2023): No physiological costs of dual sequestration of chemically different plant toxins in the milkweed bug Spilostethus saxatilis (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae). Journal of Insect Physiology, 147, 104508, doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104508

Dreisbach, D., Bhandari, D.R., Betz, A., Tenbusch, L., Vilcinskas, A., Spengler, B., Petschenka, G. (2023): Spatial metabolomics reveal divergent cardenolide processing in the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and the common crow (Euploea core). Molecular Ecology Resources, doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.13786

Dreisbach, D., Heiles, S., Bhandari, D.R., Petschenka, G., Spengler, B. (2022): Molecular networking and on-tissue chemical derivatization for enhanced identification and visualization of steroid glycosides by MALDI mass spectrometry imaging. Analytical Chemistry, 94, 15971-15979, doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02694

Petschenka, G., Züst, T., Hastings, A.P., Agrawal, A.A., Jander, G. (2022): Quantification of plant cardenolides by HPLC, measurement of Na+/K+-ATPase inhibition activity, and characterization of target enzymes. Methods in Enzymology, doi.org/10.1016/bs.mie.2022.08.003

Moriguchi Jeckel, A., Beran, F., Züst, T., Younkin, G., Petschenka, G., Pokharel, P., Dreisbach, D., Ganal-Vonarburg, S.C, Robert, C.A.M (2022): Metabolization and sequestration of plant specialized metabolites in insect herbivores: Current and emerging approaches. Frontiers in Physiology, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.1001032

Agrawal, A. A., Espinosa del Alba, L., López-Goldar, X., Hastings, A.P., White, R.A., Halitschke, R., Dobler, S., Petschenka, G., Duplais, C. (2022): Functional evidence supports adaptive plant chemical defense along a geographical cline. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119, e2205073119, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2205073119

Koch, A., Petschenka, G. (2022): Exogene Anwendung von RNA zur umweltfreundlichen Bekämpfung von Schadinsekten. Journal für Kulturpflanzen, 74, 75–84, https://doihttps://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2022.03-04.05

Obermeier, C., Mason, A.S., Meiners, T., Petschenka, G., Rostás, M., Will, T., Wittkop, B., Austel, M. (2022): Perspectives for integrated insect pest protection in oilseed rape breeding. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-022-04074-3

Petschenka, G., Halitschke, R., Züst, T., Roth, A., Stiehler, S., Tenbusch, L., Hartwig, C., Moreno Gámez , J. F., Trusch, R., Deckert, J., Chalušová, K., Vilcinskas, A., Exnerová, A. (2022): Sequestration of defenses against predators drives specialized host plant associations in preadapted milkweed bugs (Heteroptera: Lygaeinae). The American Naturalist, https://doi.org/10.1086/719196. See interview in PNAS: https://www.pnas.org/post/journal-club/fight-off-predators-insects-evolved-taste-toxic-plants

Beran, F., Petschenka, G. (2022): Sequestration of plant defense compounds by insects: from mechanisms to insect-plant coevolution. Annual Review of Entomology, 67, 163-180, doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-062821-062319

Pokharel, P., Steppuhn, A., Petschenka, G. (2021): Dietary cardenolides enhance growth and change the direction of the fecundity-longevity trade-off in milkweed bugs (Heteroptera: Lygaeinae). Ecology and Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8402

Gärttling, D., Schulz, H. (2021): Compilation of Black Soldier Fly frass analyses. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00703-w

Petschenka, G. (2021): Pflanzengifte als koevolutionäre Vermittler zwischen Insekten und Pflanzen. Entomologie heute, 32, 83-97.

Zimmermann, Beate, Ingrid Claß-Mahler, Moritz von Cossel, Iris Lewandowski, Jan Weik, Achim Spiller, Sina Nitzko, …, Petschenka, G., …, Bahrs, E. (2021): Mineral-ecological cropping systems—a new approach to improve ecosystem services by farming without chemical synthetic plant protection. Agronomy, doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091710.

Berger, A., Petschenka, G., Degenkolb, T., Geisthardt, M., Vilcinskas, A. (2021): Insect collections as an untapped source of bioactive compounds—Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) and cardiotonic steroids as a proof of concept. Insects, 12(8), 689; doi.org/10.3390/insects12080689

Dreisbach, D., Petschenka, G., Spengler, B., Bhandari, D.R. (2021): 3D-surface MALDI mass spectrometry imaging for visualising plant defensive cardiac glycosides in Asclepias curassavica. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 413, 2125–2134, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-021-03177-y

Pokharel, P., Sippel, M., Vilcinskas, A., Petschenka, G. (2020): Defense of Milkweed Bugs (Heteroptera: Lygaeinae) against Predatory Lacewing Larvae Depends on Structural Differences of Sequestered Cardenolides. Insects, 11(8), 485. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11080485

Züst, T., Strickler, S. R., Powell, A. F., Mabry, M. E., An, H., Mirzaei, M., York, T., Holland, C. K., Kumar, P., Erb, M., Petschenka, G., Gómez, J.-M., Perfectti, F., Müller, C., Pires, J. C., Mueller, L. A., Jander, G. (2020). Independent evolution of ancestral and novel defenses in a genus of toxic plants (Erysimum, Brassicaceae). eLife, 9. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.51712

Havlikova, M., Bosakova, T., Petschenka, G., Cabala, R., Exnerova, A., Bosakova, Z. (2020). Analysis of defensive secretion of a milkweed bug Lygaeus equestris by 1D GC-MS and GC×GC-MS: sex differences and host-plant effect. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 3092. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60056-9

Taverner, A. M., Yang, L., Barile, Z. J., Lin, B., Peng, J., Pinharanda, A., Rao, A., Roland, B.P., Talsma, A.D., Wei, D., Petschenka, G., Palladino, M.J., Andolfatto, P. (2019). Adaptive substitutions underlying cardiac glycoside insensitivity in insects exhibit epistasis. eLife, 8:e48224, doi: 10.7554/eLife.48224

Jones, P.L., Petschenka, G., Flacht, L., Agrawal, A.A. (2019): Cardenolide intake, sequestration, and excretion by the monarch butterfly along gradients of plant toxicity and larval ontogeny. Journal of Chemical Ecology 45, 264-277.

Züst, T., Petschenka, G., Hastings, A.P., Agrawal, A.A. (2019): Toxicity of milkweed leaves and latex: chromatographic quantification versus biological activity of cardenolides in 16 Asclepias species. Journal of Chemical Ecology, doi.org/10.1007/s10886-018-1040-3

Petschenka, G., Fei, C.S., Araya, J.J., Schröder, S., Timmermann, B.N., Agrawal, A.A. (2018): Structure-activity relationships for plant cardiac glycosides on insect Na+/K+-ATPases: Implications for monarch-milkweed coevolution. Frontiers in Plant Science 9:1424, doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01424

Mohammadi, S., Petschenka, G., French, S.S., Mori, A., Savitzky, A.H. (2018): Snakes exhibit tissue-specific variation in cardiotonic steroid sensitivity of Na+/K+-ATPase. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B 217, 21-26.

Petschenka, G., Wagschal, V., von Tschirnhaus, M., Donath, A., Dobler, S. (2017): Convergently evolved toxic secondary metabolites in plants drive the parallel molecular evolution of insect resistance. The American Naturalist, DOI: 10.1086/691711

Petschenka, G., Agrawal, A.A. (2016): How herbivores coopt plant defenses: Natural selection, specialization, and sequestration. Current Opinion in Insect Science 14, 17-24.

Petschenka, G., Agrawal, A.A. (2015): Milkweed butterfly resistance to plant toxins is linked to sequestration, not coping with a toxic diet. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 282, 20151865, DOI 10.1098/rspb.2015.1865.

Dobler, S., Petschenka, G., Wagschal, V., Flacht, L. (2015): Convergent Adaptive Evolution – How Insects Master the Challenge of Cardiac Glycoside-Containing Host Plants. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 157, 30-39.

Bramer, C., Dobler, S., Deckert, J., Stemmer, M., Petschenka, G. (2015): Na+/K+-ATPase resistance and cardenolide sequestration: basal adaptations to host plant toxins in the milkweed bugs (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae: Lygaeinae). Proceedings of the Royal Society B 282, DOI 10.1098/rspb.2014.2346.

Petschenka, G., Fandrich, S., Sander, N., Boppré, M., Dobler, S. (2013): Stepwise evolution of resistance to toxic cardenolides via genetic substitutions in the Na+/K+-ATPase of milkweed butterflies (Lepidoptera: Danaini). Evolution 67, 2753-2761.

Petschenka, G., Pick, C., Wagschal, V., Dobler, S. (2013): Functional evidence for physiological mechanisms to circumvent neurotoxicity of cardenolides in an adapted and a non-adapted hawk-moth species. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 280, DOI 10.1098/rspb.2012.3089.

Agrawal, A.A., Petschenka, G., Bingham, R.A., Weber, M.G., Rasmann, S. (2012): Toxic cardenolides: chemical ecology and coevolution of specialized plant-herbivore interactions. New Phytologist 194, 28-45.

Petschenka, G., Offe, J., Dobler, S. (2012): Physiological screening for target-site-insensitivity and localization of Na+K+-ATPase in cardenolide adapted Lepidoptera. Journal of Insect Physiology 58, 607-612.

Dobler, S., Petschenka, G., Pankoke, H.C. (2011): Coping with toxic plant compounds - the insect's perspective on iridoid glycosides and cardenolides. Phytochemistry 72, 1593-604.

Petschenka, G., Bramer, C., Pankoke, H., Dobler, S. (2011): Evidence for a deterrence effect of cardenolides on Nephila spiders. Basic and Applied Ecology 12, 260-267.

Sehlmeyer, S., Wang, L., Langel, D., Heckel, D.G., Mohagheghi, H., Petschenka, G., Ober, D. (2010): Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases as a Detoxification Mechanism in Insects: New Insights from the Arctiids (Lepidoptera). PLoS ONE 5, e10435.

Petschenka, G., Dobler, S. (2009): Target-site sensitivity in a specialized herbivore towards major toxic compounds of its host plant: The Na+K+-ATPase of the Oleander hawk-moth (Daphnis nerii) is highly susceptible to cardenolides. Chemoecology 19, 235-239.

Petschenka, G., Tavakoli, M., Trusch, R. (2006): Description of the unknown female of Agriopis beschkovi Ganev, 1987 (Geometridae: Ennominae), and illustration of the larvae. Nota Lepidopterologica 29, 27-35.

Petschenka, G. (2006): On the Morphology of Bittacus hageni BRAUER, 1860 and Bittacus italicus (MÜLLER, 1766) (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Entomologische Zeitschrift 116, 124-126.

Petschenka, G. (2003): Erstfund von Eratophyes amasiella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) in Baden Württemberg (Lep., Oecophoridae). Melanargia, 15, 181-184.*