| Title: | Role of Enhancer of zeste on the production of Drosophila melanogaster pheromonal hydrocarbons |
| Author(s): | Wicker-Thomas C; Jallon J; |
| Address: | "Universite Paris-Sud, UMR8620, NAMC, Bat. 446, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France. claude.wicker@ibaic.u-psud.fr" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0028-1042 (Print) 0028-1042 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "In a search for genes controlling the production of Drosophila melanogaster contact pheromones, the gene Enhancer of zeste [E(z)] was found to be one player. Flies mutant for either the amorphic or the antimorphic allele of E(z) showed a similar hydrocarbon phenotype as those with the overlapping Df lxd(15) deficiency: decreased amounts of total hydrocarbons and especially unsaturated ones in both sexes. The decrease in the level of D. melanogaster female sex pheromone 7,11-heptacosadiene was dramatic and was correlated with an increase in 7-heptacosene. Females mutant for a gain-of-function allele had increased amounts of total hydrocarbons with wild-type proportions of dienes. Thus the E(z) gene seems to affect hydrocarbon biosynthesis, especially its desaturation steps and even more so the female-specific desaturation step transforming 7-monoenic fatty acids to 7,11-dienic ones and leading to female pheromones" |
| Keywords: | Animals *Drosophila Proteins Drosophila melanogaster/*genetics/metabolism Female Hydrocarbons/metabolism Insect Proteins/metabolism Male Nuclear Proteins/*genetics/*metabolism Phenotype Pheromones/*biosynthesis Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Repressor Prot; |
| Notes: | "MedlineWicker-Thomas, C Jallon, J eng Germany 2000/02/09 Naturwissenschaften. 2000 Feb; 87(2):76-9. doi: 10.1007/s001140050013" |
