The role of cytochrome P450 in plant-insect interactions.

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases play a fundamental role in plant-insect interactions. Plants use P450s to synthesize toxic allelochemicals that serve as defensive compounds against herbivores. Insects use P450s to detoxify allelochemicals in their host plants that are toxic to other insect species. Some insect P450s involve the synthesis of certain active compounds using metabolites of plants. One of the most fascinating aspects of the plant and insect P450s involved in these interspecies interactions is their induction and regulation.