« Previous AbstractNew components of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) queen retinue pheromone    Next AbstractHymenopteran semiochemicals »

Naturwissenschaften

Title:		"Coordinated gene expression for pheromone biosynthesis in the pine engraver beetle, Ips pini (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)"
Author(s):		Keeling CI; Blomquist GJ; Tittiger C;
Address:		"Department of Biochemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Mail Stop 330, NV 89557-0014 Reno, USA. ckeeling@mac.com"
Journal Title:		Naturwissenschaften
Year:		2004
Volume:		20040429
Issue:		7
Page Number:		324 - 328
DOI:		10.1007/s00114-004-0523-y
ISSN/ISBN:		0028-1042 (Print) 0028-1042 (Linking)
Abstract:		"In several pine bark beetle species, phloem feeding induces aggregation pheromone production to coordinate a mass attack on the host tree. Male pine engraver beetles, Ips pini (Say) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), produce the monoterpenoid pheromone component ipsdienol de novo via the mevalonate pathway in the anterior midgut upon feeding. To understand how pheromone production is regulated in this tissue, we used quantitative real-time PCR to examine feeding-induced changes in gene expression of seven mevalonate pathway genes: acetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, mevalonate 5-diphosphate decarboxylase, isopentenyl-diphosphate isomerase, geranyl-diphosphate synthase (GPPS), and farnesyl-diphosphate synthase (FPPS). In males, expression of all these genes significantly increased upon feeding. In females, the expression of the early mevalonate pathway genes (up to and including the isomerase) increased significantly, but the expression of the later genes (GPPS and FPPS) was unaffected or decreased upon feeding. Thus, feeding coordinately regulates expression of the mevalonate pathway genes necessary for pheromone biosynthesis in male, but not female, midguts. Furthermore, basal mRNA levels were 5- to 41-fold more abundant in male midguts compared to female midguts. This is the first report of coordinated regulation of mevalonate pathway genes in an invertebrate model consistent with their sex-specific role in de novo pheromone biosynthesis"
Keywords:		Animals Coleoptera/*genetics/metabolism/pathogenicity Gene Expression Regulation/*genetics Insect Hormones/*biosynthesis Kinetics Pheromones/*biosynthesis Pinus/*parasitology Plant Diseases/parasitology;
Notes:		"MedlineKeeling, Christopher I Blomquist, Gary J Tittiger, Claus eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Germany 2004/07/17 Naturwissenschaften. 2004 Jul; 91(7):324-8. doi: 10.1007/s00114-004-0523-y. Epub 2004 Apr 29"