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Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Title:		"Involvement of a bifunctional fatty-acyl desaturase in the biosynthesis of the silkmoth, Bombyx mori, sex pheromone"
Author(s):		Moto K; Suzuki MG; Hull JJ; Kurata R; Takahashi S; Yamamoto M; Okano K; Imai K; Ando T; Matsumoto S;
Address:		"RIKEN, Hirosawa 2-1, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan"
Journal Title:		Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Year:		2004
Volume:		20040601
Issue:		23
Page Number:		8631 - 8636
DOI:		10.1073/pnas.0402056101
ISSN/ISBN:		0027-8424 (Print) 1091-6490 (Electronic) 0027-8424 (Linking)
Abstract:		"The straight-chain C(10) to C(18) unsaturated aliphatic compounds containing an oxygenated functional group (aldehyde, alcohol, or acetate ester) derived from saturated C(16) or C(18) fatty acids are a major class of sex pheromone components produced by female moths. In the biosynthesis of these pheromone components, various combinations of limited chain-shortening and regio- and stereospecific desaturation reactions significantly contribute to the production of a vast number of the species-specific pheromone components in Lepidoptera. Biosynthesis of the silkmoth sex pheromone bombykol, (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadien-1-ol, involves two consecutive desaturation steps, the second of which is unique in that it generates a conjugated diene system from the Delta11-monoene C(16) intermediate. In experiments designed to characterize the acyl-CoA desaturases responsible for bombykol biosynthesis, we have cloned three cDNAs encoding desaturase family members from the pheromone gland of the inbred strain of the silkmoth, Bombyx mori. Transcript analyses by RT-PCR and subsequent functional assays using a Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system revealed that desat1 is the only desaturase gene prominently expressed during pheromonogenesis and that its gene product, B. mori Desat1, possesses both Z11 desaturation and Delta10,12-desaturation activities. Consequently, we have concluded that B. mori Desat1 is not only a bifunctional desaturase involved in bombykol biosynthesis but that it is also the enzyme responsible for both desaturation steps"
Keywords:		"Amino Acid Sequence Animals Baculoviridae/genetics Base Sequence Bombyx/genetics/*metabolism Cloning, Molecular DNA, Complementary/genetics Fatty Acid Desaturases/genetics/*metabolism Genes, Insect In Vitro Techniques Insect Proteins/*biosynthesis Molecul;"
Notes:		"MedlineMoto, Ken'ichi Suzuki, Masataka G Hull, J Joe Kurata, Ryuichiro Takahashi, Shunya Yamamoto, Masanobu Okano, Kazuhiro Imai, Kiyohiro Ando, Tetsu Matsumoto, Shogo eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2004/06/03 Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Jun 8; 101(23):8631-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0402056101. Epub 2004 Jun 1"