| Title: | A volatile sex attractant of tsetse flies |
| Author(s): | Ebrahim SAM; Dweck HKM; Weiss BL; Carlson JR; |
| Address: | "Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Disease, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1095-9203 (Electronic) 0036-8075 (Print) 0036-8075 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Tsetse flies transmit trypanosomes-parasites that cause devastating diseases in humans and livestock-across much of sub-Saharan Africa. Chemical communication through volatile pheromones is common among insects; however, it remains unknown if and how such chemical communication occurs in tsetse flies. We identified methyl palmitoleate (MPO), methyl oleate, and methyl palmitate as compounds that are produced by the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans and elicit strong behavioral responses. MPO evoked a behavioral response in male-but not virgin female-G. morsitans. G. morsitans males mounted females of another species, Glossina fuscipes, when they were treated with MPO. We further identified a subpopulation of olfactory neurons in G. morsitans that increase their firing rate in response to MPO and showed that infecting flies with African trypanosomes alters the flies' chemical profile and mating behavior. The identification of volatile attractants in tsetse flies may be useful for reducing disease spread" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Female Male *Sex Attractants/pharmacology/physiology Trypanosoma *Tsetse Flies/parasitology/physiology *Olfactory Receptor Neurons/drug effects/physiology *Fatty Acids, Volatile/pharmacology/physiology;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineEbrahim, Shimaa A M Dweck, Hany K M Weiss, Brian L Carlson, John R eng R01 DC002174/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ R01 DC004729/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ R01 DC011697/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ R01 GM063364/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ 2023/02/17 Science. 2023 Feb 17; 379(6633):eade1877. doi: 10.1126/science.ade1877. Epub 2023 Feb 17" |
