IP Endocrinology

Endocrine regulation and mechanism of hydrocarbon pheromone production in the housefly, Musca domestica

G. J. Blomquist 1 , A. G. Bagneres 2 , C. Schal 3 , M. Kuenzli 1 , X. Shen 1 & C. Tittiger 1

1 Dept. Biochem, Univ. Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA; 2 Lab. de Neurobiolgie, CNRS-UPR, Comm. Chimique, Marseille, Cedex 20, France; 3 Dept. Entomol., Univ. North Carolina, Raleigh, NC 27695

The major pheromone component, (Z)-9-tricosene, of the female housefly, Musca domestica, is produced about two days after emergence to the adult. Ovarian-produced ecdysteroids induce a change in the chain length of the cuticular alkenes from producing primarily (Z)-9-heptacosene to produce (Z)-9-tricosene (muscalure) by altering the chain length specificity of fatty acyl-CoA elongases. (Z)-9-Tricosene appears in the hemolymph, associated with lipophorin, about one day prior to similar amounts appearing on the surface of the insect. Other pheromone components include epoxide and ketone derivatives of (Z)-9-tricosene. The C23 epoxide and ketone pheromone components are not present in the hemolymph, suggesting that (Z)-9-tricosene is converted to the epoxide and ketone in the cells that transport hydrocarbon from the hemolymph to the surface of the insect. Cytochrome P450s are involved in both converting a C24 aldehyde to (Z)-9-tricosene and subsequently converting (Z)-9-tricosene to the epoxide and ketone. Three integument enriched cytochrome P450s have been cloned and sequenced and are in the process of being expressed and assayed.

Copyright: The copyrights of this original work belong to the authors (see right-most box in title table). This abstract appeared in Session 4 – CHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY Symposium and Poster Session, ABSTRACT BOOK I – XXI-International Congress of Entomology, Brazil, August 20-26, 2000.