As a result of screening a large number of essential oils from Israeli aromatic plants and their biologically active constituents, we isolated two oils with high activity against several stored-product insects. In this study the effect of these compounds on the acetylcholinesterase and the octopamine systems in insects was studied in order to elucidate their mode of action. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity in vitro was evident only at high concentrations (10(-3) M) and could not account effectively for the low-dose mortality for some stored-product insects observed in vivo. However, the essential oil constituents were found to cause a significant increase in the levels of the intracellular messenger, cyclic AMP of abdominal epidermal tissue in the model insect, Helicoverpa armigera Hübn. The effect was significant even at low, physiological concentrations (10(-8) M) when tested directly on abdominal epidermal tissue preparations in vitro. This intracellular response was found to resemble closely the significant increases in the levels of the cyclic AMP of abdominal epidermal tissue due to treatment with the neurotransmitter/neuromodulator, octopamine. Subsequent treatment with the octopaminergic antagonist, phentolamine, effectively inhibited the cyclic AMP levels induced by essential oil treatment, indicating possible competitive activation of octopaminergic receptors by essential oil constituents.

Pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide (PBAN), a peptide produced by the subesophageal ganglion, is used by a variety of moths to regulate pheromone production. PBAN acts directly on pheromone gland cells by using calcium and cAMP as second messengers. We have identified a gene encoding a G proteincoupled receptor (GPCR) from pheromone glands of the female moth Helicoverpa zea. The gene was identified based on sequence identity to a group of GPCRs from Drosophila that are homologous to neuromedin U receptors in vertebrates. The full-length PBAN receptor was subsequently cloned, expressed in Sf9 insect cells, and shown to mobilize calcium in response to PBAN. This response was dose-dependent (EC 50 ‫؍‬ 25 nM) with a maximum response at 300 nM and a minimal observable response at 10 nM. Four additional peptides produced by the PBAN-encoding gene were also tested for activity, and it was determined that three had similar activity to PBAN and the other was slightly less active. Peptides belonging to the same family as PBAN, namely pyrokinins, as well as the vertebrate neuromedin U peptide also induced a calcium response. We have identified a GPCR for the PBAN͞pyrokinin family of peptides with a known function of stimulating pheromone biosynthesis in female moths. It is related to several receptors from insects (Drosophila and Anopheles) and to neuromedin U and ghrelin receptors from vertebrates.

No abstract

No abstract