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PLoS One

Title:		Ant trail pheromone biosynthesis is triggered by a neuropeptide hormone
Author(s):		Choi MY; Vander Meer RK;
Address:		"USDA-ARS, Center of Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, FL, USA. mychoi@ars.usda.gov"
Journal Title:		PLoS One
Year:		2012
Volume:		20121130
Issue:		11
Page Number:		e50400 -
DOI:		10.1371/journal.pone.0050400
ISSN/ISBN:		1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Our understanding of insect chemical communication including pheromone identification, synthesis, and their role in behavior has advanced tremendously over the last half-century. However, endocrine regulation of pheromone biosynthesis has progressed slowly due to the complexity of direct and/or indirect hormonal activation of the biosynthetic cascades resulting in insect pheromones. Over 20 years ago, a neurohormone, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) was identified that stimulated sex pheromone biosynthesis in a lepidopteran moth. Since then, the physiological role, target site, and signal transduction of PBAN has become well understood for sex pheromone biosynthesis in moths. Despite that PBAN-like peptides ( approximately 200) have been identified from various insect Orders, their role in pheromone regulation had not expanded to the other insect groups except for Lepidoptera. Here, we report that trail pheromone biosynthesis in the Dufour's gland (DG) of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is regulated by PBAN. RNAi knock down of PBAN gene (in subesophageal ganglia) or PBAN receptor gene (in DG) expression inhibited trail pheromone biosynthesis. Reduced trail pheromone was documented analytically and through a behavioral bioassay. Extension of PBAN's role in pheromone biosynthesis to a new target insect, mode of action, and behavioral function will renew research efforts on the involvement of PBAN in pheromone biosynthesis in Insecta"
Keywords:		"*Animal Communication Animals Ants/*physiology Female Insect Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors/*biosynthesis/genetics Moths/physiology Neuropeptides/antagonists & inhibitors/*biosynthesis/genetics Phylogeny RNA Interference RNA, Small Interfering/genetics;"
Notes:		"MedlineChoi, Man-Yeon Vander Meer, Robert K eng 2012/12/12 PLoS One. 2012; 7(11):e50400. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050400. Epub 2012 Nov 30"