| Title: | An IDS-Type Sesquiterpene Synthase Produces the Pheromone Precursor (Z)-alpha-Bisabolene in Nezara viridula |
| Author(s): | Lancaster J; Lehner B; Khrimian A; Muchlinski A; Luck K; Kollner TG; Weber DC; Gundersen-Rindal DE; Tholl D; |
| Address: | "Department of Biological Sciences, Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, BARC-West Building 007 Room 301, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA. Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoll-Strasse 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany. Department of Biological Sciences, Latham Hall, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. tholl@vt.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-018-1019-0 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Insects use a wide range of structurally diverse pheromones for intra-specific communication. Compounds in the class of terpenes are emitted as sex, aggregation, alarm, or trail pheromones. Despite the common occurrence of terpene pheromones in different insect lineages, their origin from dietary host plant precursors or de novo biosynthetic pathways often remains unknown. Several stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) release bisabolene-type sesquiterpenes for aggregation and mating. Here we provide evidence for de novo biosynthesis of the sex pheromone trans-/cis-(Z)-alpha-bisabolene epoxide of the Southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula. We show that an enzyme (NvTPS) related to isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (IDSs) of the core terpene metabolic pathway functions as a terpene synthase (TPS), which converts the general intermediate (E,E)-farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) to the putative pheromone precursor (+)-(S,Z)-alpha-bisabolene in vitro and in protein lysates. A second identified IDS-type protein (NvFPPS) makes the TPS substrate (E,E)-FPP and functions as a bona fide FPP synthase. NvTPS is highly expressed in male epidermal tissue associated with the cuticle of ventral sternites, which is in agreement with the male specific release of the pheromone from glandular cells in this tissue. Our study supports findings of the function of similar TPS enzymes in the biosynthesis of aggregation pheromones from the pine engraver beetle Ips pini, the striped flea beetle Phyllotreta striolata, and the harlequin bug Murgantia histrionica, and hence provides growing evidence for the evolution of terpene de novo biosynthesis by IDS-type TPS families in insects" |
| Keywords: | Alkyl and Aryl Transferases/genetics/*metabolism Animals Female Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Heteroptera/*enzymology Insect Proteins/genetics/*metabolism Male RNA/isolation & purification/metabolism Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis/genetics Sex A; |
| Notes: | "MedlineLancaster, Jason Lehner, Bryan Khrimian, Ashot Muchlinski, Andrew Luck, Katrin Kollner, Tobias G Weber, Donald C Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn E Tholl, Dorothea eng 2016-67013-24759/U.S. Department of Agriculture/ 2018/09/30 J Chem Ecol. 2019 Feb; 45(2):187-197. doi: 10.1007/s10886-018-1019-0. Epub 2018 Sep 29" |
