Molecular mechanisms underlying sex pheromone production in the silkmoth, Bombyx mori: Characterization of the molecular components involved in bombykol biosynthesis

Hormone Signaling Linked to Silkmoth Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis Involves Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II-mediated Phosphorylation of the Insect PAT Family Protein Bombyx mori Lipid Storage Droplet Protein-1 (BmLsd1)

“…These LDs play an essential role in bombykol biosynthesis by acting as a reservoir for the de novo synthesized bombykol precursor, ⌬10,12-hexadecadienoate, which is deposited in the LDs in the form of triacylglycerols (TAGs) with the precursor predominantly sequestered at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions of the glycerides (14). After adult emergence, the stored fatty acid is cleaved and converted to bombykol in response to PBAN (7,15).…”

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Sex Pheromone Production in Moths

“…In this research endeavor, we have successfully identified and characterized several of the key molecular components in bombykol biosynthesis of B. mori. 1) We feel that our findings are of prime significance because characterization of the key molecules responsible for lepidopteran sex pheromone biosynthesis can significantly contribute to our understanding of the ways a vast number of the species-specific pheromone components are produced. Furthermore, apart from insect physiology, our understanding of the cellular events underlying sex pheromone production in moths also has the potential to provide insight into a number of significant, but unsolved topics relevant to modern cell biology related to lipid uptake, lipogenesis, hormone-regulated lipolysis, membrane trafficking associated with lipid transport/release, intracellular calcium signaling, etc.…”

“…Pheromonogenesis can be defined as the dynamic process in which all the machinery required for sex pheromone biosynthesis is generated and organized within the PG cells of the female moth before and after eclosion or PBAN release. 1) In B. mori, bombykolproducing cells before eclosion are characterized by an abundance of lipid droplets (LDs) within the cytoplasm; these LDs begin to form 1-2 d prior to eclosion, and they accumulate rapidly on the day of eclosion (Fig. 2B).…”

Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of the fatty acid desaturase gene family in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

“…To date, only 4 desaturase genes were reported; one of them, originally named desat1, possesses both Z11 desaturation and Δ10,12 desaturation activities, which are responsible for the 2 desaturation steps in the biosynthesis pathway of bombykol, (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadien-1-ol (Moto et al, 2004). The functions of other desaturases are still not well known, and in the past decades, the main focus was on the molecular mechanisms underly-Identification of silkworm fatty acid desaturase genes ing sex pheromone production in the silkworm (Matsumoto et al, 2007;Matsumoto, 2010). Thus, in this study, we first identified the fatty acid desaturase genes based on the complete silkworm genome sequence; then, multiple sequence alignment of silkworm desaturases and phylogenetic analysis were performed, and the spatio-temporal expression of these genes was also investigated via microarray data and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis.…”