| Title: | Identification of pheromone-like compounds in male reproductive organs of the oriental locust Locusta migratoria |
| Author(s): | Ban L; Napolitano E; Serra A; Zhou X; Iovinella I; Pelosi P; |
| Address: | "State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Grassland, College of Animal Science and Technology, China" |
| Journal Title: | Biochem Biophys Res Commun |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.07.015 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1090-2104 (Electronic) 0006-291X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Despite the great economical interest of locusts in agriculture, knowledge on their chemoreception systems is still poor. Phenylacetonitrile is recognised as a pheromone of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria, triggering gregarization, promoting aggregation and inhibiting courtship. However, in the other major locust species, Locusta migratoria, pheromones have not been reported. We have identified the two isomers of naphthylpropionitrile from the male reproductive organs of L. migratoria. Chemical synthesis has confirmed the identity of the two compounds. Both isomers show significant affinity to CSP91, a protein reported in the testis, but not to three other proteins of the same family (CSP180, CSP540 and CSP884) expressed in female accessory glands. The striking similarity of these compounds with phenylacetonitrile and the unusual nature of such chemicals strongly suggest that naphthylpropionitrile could be pheromones for L. migratoria, while their site of expression and binding activity indicate a role in communication between sexes" |
| Keywords: | Amino Acid Sequence Animal Communication Animals *Gene Expression Regulation Gonads/*chemistry Inhibitory Concentration 50 Insect Proteins/metabolism Ligands Locusta migratoria/*physiology Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Male Molecular Sequence Data Nitri; |
| Notes: | "MedlineBan, Liping Napolitano, Elio Serra, Andrea Zhou, Xianhong Iovinella, Immacolata Pelosi, Paolo eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2013/07/23 Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2013 Aug 9; 437(4):620-4. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.07.015. Epub 2013 Jul 15" |
