« Previous Abstract"Ribonucleases, antisense RNAs and the control of bacterial plasmids"    Next Abstract"Simple and specific colorimetric detection of Staphylococcus using its volatile 2-[3-acetoxy-4,4,14-trimethylandrost-8-en-17-yl] propanoic acid in the liquid phase and head space of cultures" »

J Chem Ecol

Title:		"Role of (3Z,6Z,8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol in trail following, feeding, and mating behavior of Reticulitermes hesperus"
Author(s):		Saran RK; Millar JG; Rust MK;
Address:		"Department of Entomology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA. raj.saran@ucr.edu"
Journal Title:		J Chem Ecol
Year:		2007
Volume:		20070103
Issue:		2
Page Number:		369 - 389
DOI:		10.1007/s10886-006-9229-2
ISSN/ISBN:		0098-0331 (Print) 0098-0331 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Trail pheromones mediate communication among western subterranean termites, Reticulitermes hesperus Banks. Repetitive passages of >or=28 termites were required to establish a pheromone trail and trails needed to be reinforced because they lasted <48 hr. The minimal threshold concentration for inducing responses from termite workers and secondary reproductives was between 0.01 and 0.1 fg/cm of (3Z,6Z,8E)-dodecatrien-1-ol (henceforth, dodecatrienol). Workers showed optimal trail-following behavior to dodecatrienol at a concentration of 10 fg/cm. Trails with concentrations >10 pg/cm were repellent to workers. Workers did not detect pheromone gradients, responding equally to increasing or decreasing gradients of dodecatrienol, and termite workers were not able to differentiate between different concentrations of dodecatrienol. Termites preferred dodecatrienol trails to 2-phenoxyethanol trails. Antennae played a key role in trail pheromone perception. Dodecatrienol acted as an arrestant for worker termites (10 fg/cm2) and male alates (5 ng/cm2), whereas sternal gland extracts from females attracted male alates. Workers and alates, upon contact with filter paper disks treated with higher doses (10 fg/cm2 and 5 ng/cm2, respectively) of dodecatrienol, were highly excited (increased antennation and palpation) and repeatedly returned to the treated disks. Dodecatrienol did not act as a phagostimulant when offered on a paper towel disk. Reticulitermes hesperus is highly responsive to dodecatrienol, and it may play an important role in orientation of workers and alates"
Keywords:		"Animals Behavior, Animal/*physiology Biological Assay/methods Feeding Behavior/physiology Female Isoptera/*physiology Male Pheromones/physiology Polyenes Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology;"
Notes:		"MedlineSaran, Raj K Millar, Jocelyn G Rust, Michael K eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2007/01/04 J Chem Ecol. 2007 Feb; 33(2):369-89. doi: 10.1007/s10886-006-9229-2. Epub 2007 Jan 3"