« Previous Abstract"Functional characterization of a desaturase from the tobacco hornworm moth (Manduca sexta) with bifunctional Z11- and 10,12-desaturase activity"    Next AbstractCombining Synthetic Human Odours and Low-Cost Electrocuting Grids to Attract and Kill Outdoor-Biting Mosquitoes: Field and Semi-Field Evaluation of an Improved Mosquito Landing Box »

Chembiochem

Title:		A delta9 desaturase from Bombus lucorum males: investigation of the biosynthetic pathway of marking pheromones
Author(s):		Matouskova P; Luxova A; Matouskova J; Jiros P; Svatos A; Valterova I; Pichova I;
Address:		"Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague 6, Czech Republic"
Journal Title:		Chembiochem
Year:		2008
Volume:		9
Issue:		15
Page Number:		2534 - 2541
DOI:		10.1002/cbic.200800374
ISSN/ISBN:		1439-7633 (Electronic) 1439-4227 (Linking)
Abstract:		"The knowledge of the molecular basis of communication in bumblebee communities is limited. None of the enzymes that participate in pheromone production have been characterized. Here, we cloned the gene encoding the Delta(9) desaturase from cDNA prepared from the total RNA of the pheromone gland and fat bodies of Bombus lucorum male. Functional expression of BlucNPVE desaturase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and GC-MS analyses revealed its preference for C(18) saturated fatty acids. This suggests that Delta(9) desaturase is involved in the desaturation of metabolic fatty acids stored in triacylglyceroles (TAGs), because oleic acid is the most abundant fatty acid bound in TAG in B. lucorum and it is present in low concentration in the pheromone blend. The incubation of pheromone precursors with a dissected labial gland as well as direct injection of labelled pheromone substrates into B. lucorum males revealed that esterification of pheromone products occurs in the labial gland. These results support both the biosynthesis of pheromones from common lipids and the de novo synthesis of unsaturated pheromones in the labial gland"
Keywords:		"Amino Acid Sequence Animals Bees/chemistry/*enzymology Cloning, Molecular Esters/metabolism Male Molecular Sequence Data Sequence Alignment Sequence Homology, Amino Acid Sex Attractants/*biosynthesis/chemistry Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase/chemistry/genetics/*m;"
Notes:		"MedlineMatouskova, Petra Luxova, Anna Matouskova, Jana Jiros, Pavel Svatos, Ales Valterova, Irena Pichova, Iva eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2008/09/12 Chembiochem. 2008 Oct 13; 9(15):2534-41. doi: 10.1002/cbic.200800374"