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Zhan YD, Liu YJ, Liu JH, Liu Y. Pheromones emitted by both female and male moths regulate coordination between the sexes for Agriphila aeneociliella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:1481-1492. [PMID: 36606503 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The complex and efficient sex pheromone communication system in insects is essential for reproduction and for reproductive isolation of species. In moths, sex pheromone communication starts with male attraction to compounds emitted by females; only a few species act in the reverse. However, how the pheromones that are emitted by both sexes co-regulate and coordinate mate finding and mating remains unknown. Here, we identified both the male and female pheromones of Eastern Grass Veneer moth, Agriphila aeneociliella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and demonstrated their efficiency in manipulating behavioral responses of the opposite sex. Combining data from analysis of gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and olfactory behavior assays, the female pheromone of A. aeneociliella was identified as (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienal and (Z)-9-hexadecenyl acetate, while the male pheromone was determined to be 1-nonanal. Both the 2 individual components of the female pheromone and their binary mixture were significantly attractive to males, and the 1-nonanal male pheromone induced strong electrophysiological responses in females and induced attraction of females in a Y-tube olfactory test. Depending on the concentration of 1-nonanal, its addition to the binary mixture of the female pheromone either enhanced (10-3 or 10-2 μg/μL) or reduced (1 μg/μL) the aphrodisiac effect of the mixture on males. In wind-tunnel bioassays, different concentrations of pheromones, including the binary mixture of female pheromone and the mixture of male and female pheromones, had significant effects on male behavior. Our findings suggested that the blend of both female and male pheromones plays a significant role in the sexual communication system in some moths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Di Zhan
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ying-Jie Liu
- Staff Development Institute of China National Tobacco Corporation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jia-Hui Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong Province, China
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liège University, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Yong Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong Province, China
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Moustafa MAM, Fouad EA, Ibrahim E, Erdei AL, Kárpáti Z, Fónagy A. The Comparative Toxicity, Biochemical and Physiological Impacts of Chlorantraniliprole and Indoxacarb on Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). TOXICS 2023; 11:212. [PMID: 36976977 PMCID: PMC10055103 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11030212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae, is a polyphagous pest that attacks several crops. Here, the sublethal and lethal effects of chlorantraniliprole and indoxacarb were investigated on the developmental stages, detoxification enzymes, reproductive activity, calling behavior, peripheral physiology, and pheromone titer of M. brasssicae. Methods: To assess pesticide effects, the second instar larvae were maintained for 24 h on a semi-artificial diet containing insecticides at their LC10, LC30, and LC50 concentrations. RESULTS M. brassicae was more susceptible to chlorantraniliprole (LC50 = 0.35 mg/L) than indoxacarb (LC50 = 1.71 mg/L). A significantly increased developmental time was observed with both insecticides at all tested concentrations but decreases in pupation rate, pupal weight, and emergence were limited to the LC50 concentration. Reductions in both the total number of eggs laid per female and the egg viability were observed with both insecticides at their LC30 and LC50 concentrations. Both female calling activity and the sex pheromone (Z11-hexadecenyl acetate and hexadecenyl acetate) titer were significantly reduced by chlorantraniliprole in LC50 concentration. Antennal responses of female antennae to benzaldehyde and 3-octanone were significantly weaker than controls after exposure to the indoxocarb LC50 concentration. Significant reductions in the enzymatic activity of glutathione S-transferases, mixed-function oxidases, and carboxylesterases were observed in response to both insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moataz A. M. Moustafa
- Department of Economic Entomology and Pesticides, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Eman A. Fouad
- Department of Bioassay, Central Agricultural Pesticides Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12618, Egypt
| | - Emad Ibrahim
- Department of Economic Entomology and Pesticides, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
- Plant Virus and Vector Interactions, Crop Research Institute, 16106 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Laura Erdei
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Lóránd Research Network (ELKH), 1022 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Zsolt Kárpáti
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Lóránd Research Network (ELKH), 1022 Budapest, Hungary
- Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Adrien Fónagy
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Lóránd Research Network (ELKH), 1022 Budapest, Hungary
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Fu S, Li F, Yan X, Hao C. Expression Profiles and Binding Properties of the Chemosensory Protein PxylCSP11 from the Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2020; 20:5924359. [PMID: 33057681 PMCID: PMC7583271 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaa107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is one of the most destructive pests to cruciferous plants worldwide. The oligophagous moth primarily utilizes its host volatiles for foraging and oviposition. Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are soluble carrier proteins with low molecular weight, which recognize and transport various semiochemicals in insect chemoreception. At present, there is limited information on the recognition of host volatiles by CSPs of P. xylostella. Here, we investigated expression patterns and binding characteristics of PxylCSP11 in P. xylostella. The open reading frame of PxylCSP11 was 369-bp encoding 122 amino acids. PxylCSP11 possessed four conserved cysteines, which was consistent with the typical characteristic of CSPs. PxylCSP11 was highly expressed in antennae, and the expression level of PxylCSP11 in male antennae was higher than that in female antennae. Fluorescence competitive binding assays showed that PxylCSP11 had strong binding abilities to several ligands, including volatiles of cruciferous plants, and (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:Ac), a major sex pheromone of P. xylostella. Our results suggest that PxylCSP11 may play an important role in host recognition and spouse location in P. xylostella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhui Fu
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Fangyuan Li
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Xizhong Yan
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Chi Hao
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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Du M, Zhao W, Jurenka R, Liu X, Yin X, Song Q, An S. Transcriptome analysis of Helicoverpa armigera male hairpencils: Alcohol biosynthesis and requirement for mating success. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 87:154-164. [PMID: 28705633 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Many female animals use different strategies to assess male quality to increase their own reproductive fitness. In moths, females usually use chemical signals (sex pheromones) to attract males from a distance. Once males approach a female, they release close range pheromones from hairpencils to facilitate female acceptance. However, detailed mechanisms involved in male sex pheromone biosynthesis and its action in promoting female acceptance have not yet been fully characterized. This study screened a series of candidate genes via a transcriptome analysis of the male hairpencil of Helicoverpa armigera. Using pharmacological inhibitor and RNAi-mediated knockdown assays, we demonstrated that Ca2+ and cyclic-AMP were involved in pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN)-induced male sex pheromone biosynthesis. The functional analysis of candidate enzymes involved in the male sex pheromone biosynthesis pathway demonstrated that a decreased mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, Δ11-desaturase, and fatty-acyl reductase 2 by RNAi-mediated knockdown led to a significant decrease in the production of fatty acyl alcohols and the efficacy of female acceptance. Our results demonstrated the important role of the fatty acyl alcohol biosynthetic pathway in a PBAN-induced male sex pheromone biosynthesis and the importance of hairpencil compounds in female mating acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengfang Du
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science/College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China
| | - Wenhui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science/College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China
| | - Russell Jurenka
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science/College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China
| | - Xinming Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science/College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China
| | - Qisheng Song
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Shiheng An
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science/College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China.
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Soso SB, Koziel JA. Characterizing the scent and chemical composition of Panthera leo marking fluid using solid-phase microextraction and multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5137. [PMID: 28698649 PMCID: PMC5506057 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04973-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lions (Panthera leo) use chemical signaling to indicate health, reproductive status, and territorial ownership. To date, no study has reported on both scent and composition of marking fluid (MF) from P. leo. The objectives of this study were to: 1) develop a novel method for simultaneous chemical and scent identification of lion MF in its totality (urine + MF), 2) identify characteristic odorants responsible for the overall scent of MF as perceived by human panelists, and 3) compare the existing library of known odorous compounds characterized as eliciting behaviors in animals in order to understand potential functionality in lion behavior. Solid-phase microextraction and simultaneous chemical-sensory analyses with multidimensional gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry improved separating, isolating, and identifying mixed (MF, urine) compounds versus solvent-based extraction and chemical analyses. 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine, 4-methylphenol, and 3-methylcyclopentanone were isolated and identified as the compounds responsible for the characteristic odor of lion MF. Twenty-eight volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from MF were identified, adding a new list of compounds previously unidentified in lion urine. New chemicals were identified in nine compound groups: ketones, aldehydes, amines, alcohols, aromatics, sulfur-containing compounds, phenyls, phenols, and volatile fatty acids. Twenty-three VOCs are known semiochemicals that are implicated in attraction, reproduction, and alarm-signaling behaviors in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone B Soso
- Iowa State University, Environmental Science Graduate Program, Ames, IA, 50011, United States of America.,Iowa State University, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Ames, IA, 50011, United States of America
| | - Jacek A Koziel
- Iowa State University, Environmental Science Graduate Program, Ames, IA, 50011, United States of America. .,Iowa State University, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Ames, IA, 50011, United States of America.
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Tarsi of Male Heliothine Moths Contain Aldehydes and Butyrate Esters as Potential Pheromone Components. J Chem Ecol 2016; 42:425-32. [DOI: 10.1007/s10886-016-0701-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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7
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Köblös G, Dankó T, Sipos K, Geiger Á, Szlanka T, Fodor J, Fónagy A. The regulation of Δ11-desaturase gene expression in the pheromone gland of Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae) during pheromonogenesis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 221:217-27. [PMID: 25796477 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae) females produce sex pheromones to attract conspecific males. In our M. brassicae colony, the pheromone blend is composed of Z11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16Ac) and hexadecyl acetate (16Ac) in a 93:7 ratio. A fatty acyl Δ11-desaturase is involved in the production of the main pheromone component. The release of Pheromone Biosynthesis Activating Neuropeptide (PBAN) regulates the pheromone production in the pheromone gland (PG). We cloned a cDNA encoding the MambrΔ11-desaturase and analyzed its expression profile over time in M. brassicae tissues. Transcript levels of the Δ11-desaturase in larvae, pupal PGs, fat body, brain and muscle tissues were <0.1% of that in female PGs, whereas expression in male genitalia was 2%. In the PGs of virgin females the expression level increased continuously from eclosion to the end of the 1st day when it reached a plateau without further significant fluctuation up to the 8th day. In contrast, we recorded a characteristic daily rhythmicity in pheromone production with a maximum around 200 ng Z11-16Ac/PG. In some experiments, females were decapitated to prevent PBAN release and thereby inhibit pheromone production, which remarkably increased after treatment with Mambr-Pheromonotropin. Further experiments revealed that mating resulted in a significant suppression of pheromone production. However, expression of the Δ11-desaturase was not affected by any of these interventions, suggesting that it's not regulated by PBAN. Fluorescent microscopy was used to study the potential role of lipid droplets during pheromone production, however, no lipid droplets were identified indicating that pheromonogenesis is regulated via de novo fatty acid synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Köblös
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Dankó
- Ecotoxicology and Environmental Analysis Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kitti Sipos
- Ecotoxicology and Environmental Analysis Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Geiger
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Horticultural Science, Corvinus University of Budapest, H-1118 Ménesi út, 44, H-1118 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Szlanka
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - József Fodor
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Adrien Fónagy
- Ecotoxicology and Environmental Analysis Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary.
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Engsontia P, Sangket U, Chotigeat W, Satasook C. Molecular evolution of the odorant and gustatory receptor genes in lepidopteran insects: implications for their adaptation and speciation. J Mol Evol 2014; 79:21-39. [PMID: 25038840 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-014-9633-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 07/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lepidoptera (comprised of butterflies and moths) is one of the largest groups of insects, including more than 160,000 described species. Chemoreception plays important roles in the adaptation of these species to a wide range of niches, e.g., plant hosts, egg-laying sites, and mates. This study investigated the molecular evolution of the lepidopteran odorant (Or) and gustatory receptor (Gr) genes using recently identified genes from Bombyx mori, Danaus plexippus, Heliconius melpomene, Plutella xylostella, Heliothis virescens, Manduca sexta, Cydia pomonella, and Spodoptera littoralis. A limited number of cases of large lineage-specific gene expansion are observed (except in the P. xylostella lineage), possibly due to selection against tandem gene duplication. There has been strong purifying selection during the evolution of both lepidopteran odorant and gustatory genes, as shown by the low ω values estimated through CodeML analysis, ranging from 0.0093 to 0.3926. However, purifying selection has been relaxed on some amino acid sites in these receptors, leading to sequence divergence, which is a precursor of positive selection on these sequences. Signatures of positive selection were detected only in a few loci from the lineage-specific analysis. Estimation of gene gains and losses suggests that the common ancestor of the Lepidoptera had fewer Or genes compared to extant species and an even more reduced number of Gr genes, particularly within the bitter receptor clade. Multiple gene gains and a few gene losses occurred during the evolution of Lepidoptera. Gene family expansion may be associated with the adaptation of lepidopteran species to plant hosts, especially after angiosperm radiation. Phylogenetic analysis of the moth sex pheromone receptor genes suggested that chromosomal translocations have occurred several times. New sex pheromone receptors have arisen through tandem gene duplication. Positive selection was detected at some amino acid sites predicted to be in the extracellular and transmembrane regions of the newly duplicated genes, which might be associated with the evolution of the new pheromone receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patamarerk Engsontia
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkla, 90112, Thailand,
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Matsuura K. Multifunctional queen pheromone and maintenance of reproductive harmony in termite colonies. J Chem Ecol 2012; 38:746-54. [PMID: 22623152 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-012-0137-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2012] [Revised: 05/03/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Pheromones are likely involved in all social activities of social insects including foraging, sexual behavior, defense, nestmate recognition, and caste regulation. Regulation of the number of fertile queens requires communication between reproductive and non-reproductive individuals. Queen-produced pheromones have long been believed to be the main factor inhibiting the differentiation of new reproductive individuals. However, since the discovery more than 50 years ago of the queen honeybee substance that inhibits the queen-rearing behavior of workers, little progress has been made in the chemical identification of inhibitory queen pheromones in other social insects. The recent identification of a termite queen pheromone and subsequent studies have elucidated the multifaceted roles of volatile pheromones, including functions such as a fertility signal, worker attractant, queen-queen communication signal, and antimicrobial agent. The proximate origin and evolutionary parsimony of the termite queen pheromone also are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Matsuura
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwakecho, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
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Kindl J, Jiroš P, Kalinová B, Záček P, Valterová I. Females of the bumblebee parasite, Aphomia sociella, excite males using a courtship pheromone. J Chem Ecol 2012; 38:400-7. [PMID: 22476958 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-012-0100-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2012] [Revised: 03/12/2012] [Accepted: 03/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aphomia sociella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Galleriinae) is a parasitic moth of bumblebees. Behavioral experiments show that A. sociella females emit semiochemicals that influence male pre-mating behavior and serve as a courtship pheromone. GC/EAD and two-dimensional GC/MS (GCxGC-TOFMS) analyses of extracts of females revealed three antennally active compounds. Comparative GC and GCxGC-TOFMS analyses of extracts and synthetic standards confirmed the identity of the antennally active compounds as hexan-1-ol (1), 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one (2), and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol (3). In laboratory bioassays, alcohol 3 and, at higher doses, ketone 2 initiated male courtship behavior associated with ultrasonic production. Hexan-1-ol (1) and ketone 2 enhanced the activity of alcohol 3. These data suggest that hexan-1-ol, 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol, and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one constitute the female-produced courtship pheromone of A. sociella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Kindl
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10, Prague, Czech Republic
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Himuro C, Yokoi T, Matsuura K. Queen-specific volatile in a higher termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis (Isoptera: Termitidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2011; 57:962-965. [PMID: 21540033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2011.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2011] [Revised: 04/13/2011] [Accepted: 04/14/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In social insect colonies, queen-produced pheromones have important functions in social regulation. These substances influence the behavior and physiology of colony members. A queen-produced volatile that inhibits differentiation of new neotenic reproductives was recently identified in the lower termite Reticulitermes speratus. However, there are no known queen-specific volatiles of this type in any other termite species. Here, we report volatile compounds emitted by live queens of the higher termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis. We used headspace gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (HS GC-MS) to analyze volatiles emitted by live primary queens, workers, soldiers, alates, and eggs collected in a Japanese subtropical forest. Among 14 detected compounds, 7 were soldier-specific, 1 was alate-specific, 1 was egg-specific, and 1 was queen-specific. The queen-specific volatile was phenylethanol, which is different than the compound identified in R. speratus. The identification of this queen-specific volatile is the first step in determining its functions in higher termite social regulation. Comparisons of queen pheromone substances regulating caste differentiation among various termite taxa will contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of social systems in termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Himuro
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University, 700-8530 Okayama, Japan.
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Nieberding CM, de Vos H, Schneider MV, Lassance JM, Estramil N, Andersson J, Bång J, Hedenström E, Löfstedt C, Brakefield PM. The male sex pheromone of the butterfly Bicyclus anynana: towards an evolutionary analysis. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2751. [PMID: 18648495 PMCID: PMC2447158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2008] [Accepted: 06/20/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Female sex pheromones attracting mating partners over long distances are a major determinant of reproductive isolation and speciation in Lepidoptera. Males can also produce sex pheromones but their study, particularly in butterflies, has received little attention. A detailed comparison of sex pheromones in male butterflies with those of female moths would reveal patterns of conservation versus novelty in the associated behaviours, biosynthetic pathways, compounds, scent-releasing structures and receiving systems. Here we assess whether the African butterfly Bicyclus anynana, for which genetic, genomic, phylogenetic, ecological and ethological tools are available, represents a relevant model to contribute to such comparative studies. Methodology/Principal Findings Using a multidisciplinary approach, we determined the chemical composition of the male sex pheromone (MSP) in the African butterfly B. anynana, and demonstrated its behavioural activity. First, we identified three compounds forming the presumptive MSP, namely (Z)-9-tetradecenol (Z9-14:OH), hexadecanal (16:Ald ) and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol (6,10,14-trime-15-2-ol), and produced by the male secondary sexual structures, the androconia. Second, we described the male courtship sequence and found that males with artificially reduced amounts of MSP have a reduced mating success in semi-field conditions. Finally, we could restore the mating success of these males by perfuming them with the synthetic MSP. Conclusions/Significance This study provides one of the first integrative analyses of a MSP in butterflies. The toolkit it has developed will enable the investigation of the type of information about male quality that is conveyed by the MSP in intraspecific communication. Interestingly, the chemical structure of B. anynana MSP is similar to some sex pheromones of female moths making a direct comparison of pheromone biosynthesis between male butterflies and female moths relevant to future research. Such a comparison will in turn contribute to understanding the evolution of sex pheromone production and reception in butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M Nieberding
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Hillier NK, Kelly D, Vickers NJ. A specific male olfactory sensillum detects behaviorally antagonistic hairpencil odorants. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2007; 7:4. [PMID: 20334597 PMCID: PMC2999402 DOI: 10.1673/031.007.0401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2006] [Accepted: 08/11/2006] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Within insect species, olfactory signals play a vital role in communication, particularly in the context of mating. During courtship, males of many moth species release pheromones that function as aphrodisiacs for conspecific females, or repellants to competing conspecific males. The physiology and antennal lobe projections are described of olfactory receptor neurons within an antennal sensillum present on male Heliothis virescens F. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) moths sensitive to conspecific male H. virescens-produced pheromone components. Olfactory receptor neurons responded to hexadecanyl acetate and octadecanyl acetate hairpencil components, and Z11-hexadecenyl acetate, an odorant used by closely related heliothine species in their female produced pheromone, which is antagonistic to male H. virescens responses. This acetate-sensitive sensillum appears homologous to a sensillum type previously described in females of this species, sharing similar physiology and glomerular projection targets within the antennal lobe. Wind tunnel observations indicate that H. virescens hairpencil odors (hexadecanyl acetate, octadecanyl acetate) function to antagonize responses of conspecific males following a female sex pheromone plume. Thus, male-male flight antagonism in H. virescens appears to be mediated by this particular sensillum type.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. K. Hillier
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Room 201 South Biology, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 84112
| | - D. Kelly
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Room 201 South Biology, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 84112
| | - N. J. Vickers
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Room 201 South Biology, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 84112
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Gilley DC, Degrandi-Hoffman G, Hooper JE. Volatile compounds emitted by live European honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) queens. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2006; 52:520-7. [PMID: 16530783 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2006.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2005] [Revised: 01/26/2006] [Accepted: 01/30/2006] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
We used solid-phase microextraction (SPME, 65 microm PDMS-DVB fiber) to sample the volatile compounds emitted by live honey bee queens in several reproductive states (unmated queens, recently mated queens, and established mated queens), and compared them to the volatiles emitted by workers. We detected nine compounds that were present in at least 75% of the individuals in at least one type of bee, and which were not present in the sampling environment alone. Four of these compounds were present in queens but not in workers. One of these four compounds, identified as E-beta-ocimene, was expressed fully only in established mated queens and may be a signal of diploid egg-laying activity. The three remaining queen-specific compounds (including one identified as 2-phenylethanol) were associated with unmated queens and may mediate interactions between unmated queens and workers during queen elimination. The five common compounds that we detected in both queens and workers were hydrocarbons and may function as nestmate recognition cues. We consider these discoveries as a first step in determining the potentially important functions of volatile signals and cues within honey bee nests.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Gilley
- Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 East Allen Road, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.
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Merlin C, François MC, Bozzolan F, Pelletier J, Jacquin-Joly E, Maïbèche-Coisne M. A new aldehyde oxidase selectively expressed in chemosensory organs of insects. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2005; 332:4-10. [PMID: 15896291 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.04.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2005] [Accepted: 04/15/2005] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Signal termination is a crucial step in the dynamic of the olfactory process. It involves different classes of odorant-degrading enzymes. Whereas aldehyde oxidase enzymatic activities have been demonstrated in insect antennae by previous biochemical studies, the corresponding enzymes have never been characterized at the molecular level. In the cabbage armyworm Mamestra brassicae, we isolated for the first time an aldehyde oxidase partial cDNA specifically expressed in chemosensory organs, with the strongest expression in antennae of both sexes. In these organs, expression was restricted to the olfactory sensilla. Our results suggest that the corresponding enzyme could degrade aldehyde odorant compounds, such as pheromones or plant's volatiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Merlin
- Unité 1272, UPMC-INRA-INA.PG, Physiologie de l'Insecte: Signalisation et Communication, Route de Saint-Cyr, Bat A, 78026 Versailles Cedex, France
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Jacquin-Joly E, Descoins C. Identification of PBAN-like peptides in the brain-subesophageal ganglion complex of lepidoptera using Western-blotting. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 1996; 26:209-216. [PMID: 8882661 DOI: 10.1016/0965-1748(95)00094-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
An immunoblotting technique used to visualize pheromone-biosynthesis-activating-neuropeptide (PBAN)-like peptides in insect tissues is described. This technique involves a tricine-SDS-PAGE system and a chemiluminescent revelation of the antigens. Using this technique, PBAN-like immunoreactive peptides were found in the brain-subesophageal ganglion complex of various lepidopteran species, including moths: Heliothis zea, Mamestra brassicae, Spodoptera littoralis, S. latifascia and S. descoinsi (Noctuidae), Eldana saccharina (Pyralidae), and a butterfly: Pieris brassicae (Pieridae). PBAN-like peptides were detected in both sexes of the species studied, and even in a butterfly species that does not use pheromone to mate. This suggests that those peptides are widely distributed among Lepidoptera and confirms that they could be involved in functions other than regulation of sex pheromone production.
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