Semi-selective fatty acyl reductases from four heliothine moths influence the specific pheromone composition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sex pheromones are essential in moth mate communication. Information on pheromone biosynthetic genes and enzymes is needed to comprehend the mechanisms that contribute to specificity of pheromone signals. Most heliothine moths use sex pheromones with (Z)-11-hexadecenal as the major component in combination with minor fatty aldehydes and alcohols. In this study we focus on four closely related species, Heliothis virescens, Heliothis subflexa, Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa assulta, which use (Z)-11-hexadecenal, (Z)-9-tetradecanal, and (Z)-9-hexadecenal in different ratios in their pheromone blend. The components are produced from saturated fatty acid precursors by desaturation, β-oxidation, reduction and oxidation.

Results

We analyzed the composition of fatty

SUBMITTER: Hagstrom AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3353883 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature