Pheromone production in bark beetles

Blomquist, Gary J.; Figueroa-Teran, Rubi; Aw, Mory; Song, Minmin; Gorzalski, Andrew; Abbott, Nicole L.; Chang, Eric P.; Tittiger, Claus

doi:10.1016/j.ibmb.2010.07.013

Cited by 260 publications

(247 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…2). For example, whitebark pines had higher concentrations of (−)-α-pinene, which stimulates the production of, and serves as a precursor for, enzymatic conversion to the aggregation pheromone trans-verbenol by pioneer beetles as they enter trees (25). This monoterpene also synergizes the attraction of flying beetles to the pheromones being produced by the tunneling beetles (36).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When successful, high densities of beetles jointly deplete resin and reduce toxins to sublethal concentrations within just a few days (9). Bark beetles link their signaling behavior to tree physiology by exploiting some host monoterpenes as precursors and synergists of the pheromones they emit as they bore through the bark (24,25). However, high concentrations of monoterpenes, as well as other host compounds, can inhibit attraction of flying beetles to signals emitted by tunneling beetles (26)(27)(28).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Temperature-driven range expansion of an irruptive insect heightened by weakly coevolved plant defenses

Raffa¹,

Powell²,

Townsend

2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

185

202

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Warming climate has increased access of native bark beetles to high-elevation pines that historically received only intermittent exposure to these tree-killing herbivores. Here we show that a dominant, relatively naïve, high-elevation species, whitebark pine, has inferior defenses against mountain pine beetle compared with its historical lower-elevation host, lodgepole pine. Lodgepole pines respond by exuding more resin and accumulating higher concentrations of toxic monoterpenes than whitebark pine, where they co-occur. Furthermore, the chemical composition of whitebark pine appears less able to inhibit the pheromonal communication beetles use to jointly overcome tree defenses. Despite whitebark pine's inferior defenses, beetles were more likely to attack their historical host in mixed stands. This finding suggests there has been insufficient sustained contact for beetles to alter their complex behavioral mechanisms driving host preference. In no-choice assays, however, beetles readily entered and tunneled in both hosts equally, and in stands containing less lodgepole pine, attacks on whitebark pines increased. High-elevation trees in pure stands may thus be particularly vulnerable to temperature-driven range expansions. Predators and competitors were more attracted to volatiles from herbivores attacking their historical host, further increasing risk in less coevolved systems. Our results suggest cold temperatures provided a sufficient barrier against herbivores for high-elevation trees to allocate resources to other physiological processes besides defense. Changing climate may reduce the viability of that evolutionary strategy, and the life histories of high-elevation trees seem unlikely to foster rapid counter adaptation. Consequences extend from reduced food supplies for endangered grizzly bears to altered landscape and hydrological processes.climate change | coevolution | disturbance | plant-insect interactions | forest insects

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Temperature-driven range expansion of an irruptive insect heightened by weakly coevolved plant defenses

Raffa¹,

Powell²,

Townsend

2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

185

202

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“…Once a suitable host is found by a female pioneer beetle, α-pinene-one of the most abundant host monoterpenes in most pine species examined to date-is hydroxylated into the major aggregation pheromone trans-verbenol that attracts both sexes of MPB to initiate a mass attack (Pitman et al, 1968;Blomquist et al, 2010). As the colonization progresses, arriving males produce exo-brevicomin that attracts additional females until the optimum attack density is achieved, at which point both male and female beetles emit anti-aggregation pheromones that prevent further recruitment to the host tree (Rudinsky et al, 1974;Ryker and Libbey, 1982).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Water Stress and Fungal Inoculation on Monoterpene Emission from an Historical and a New Pine Host of the Mountain Pine Beetle

et al. 2011

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The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae, MPB) has killed millions of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) trees in Western Canada, and recent range expansion has resulted in attack of jack pine (Pinus banksiana) in Alberta. Establishment of MPB in the Boreal forest will require use of jack pine under a suite of environmental conditions different from those it typically encounters in its native range. Lodgepole and jack pine seedlings were grown under controlled environment conditions and subjected to either water deficit or well watered conditions and inoculated with Grosmannia clavigera, a MPB fungal associate. Soil water content, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored over the duration of the six-week study. Monoterpene content of bark and needle tissue was measured at the end of the experiment. β-Phellandrene, the major monoterpene in lodgepole pine, was almost completely lacking in the volatile emission profile of jack pine. The major compound in jack pine was α-pinene. The emission of both compounds was positively correlated with stomatal conductance. 3-Carene was emitted at a high concentration from jack pine seedlings, which is in contrast to monoterpene profiles of jack pine from more southern and eastern parts of its range. Fungal inoculation caused a significant increase in total monoterpene emission in water deficit lodgepole pine seedlings right after its application. By 4 weeks into the experiment, water deficit seedlings of both species released significantly lower levels of total monoterpenes than well watered seedlings. Needle tissue contained lower total monoterpene content than bark. Generally, monoterpene tissue content increased over time independent from any treatment. The results suggest that monoterpenes that play a role in pine-MPB interactions differ between lodgepole and jack pine, and also that they are affected by water availability.

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“…Frontalin acts as a pheromone, attractant, or kairomone in most other Dendroctonus species, other insects (5), and even elephants (6,7) and has been studied in bark beetles for more than 40 y (8). Its biosynthetic precursor, 6-methylhept-6-en-2-one (6MHO), found in both insects and elephants (6,9), is hypothesized to originate from cleavage of geranyl diphosphate (GPP), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), or geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) by a dioxygenase or cytochrome P450 (10). These isoprenyl diphosphates are biosynthesized from the five-carbon precursors isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) by the isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (IDSs) GPP synthase (GPPS), FPP synthase (FPPS), and GGPP synthase (GGPPS).…”

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confidence: 99%

Frontalin pheromone biosynthesis in the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae , and the role of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases

Keeling

Chiu

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) is the most destructive pest of western North American pine forests. Adult males produce frontalin, an eight-carbon antiaggregation pheromone, via the mevalonate pathway, as part of several pheromones that initiate and modulate the mass attack of host trees. Frontalin acts as a pheromone, attractant, or kairomone in most Dendroctonus species, other insects, and even elephants. 6-Methylhept-6-en-2-one, a frontalin precursor, is hypothesized to originate from 10-carbon geranyl diphosphate (GPP), 15-carbon farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), or 20-carbon geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) via a dioxygenase-or cytochrome P450-mediated carboncarbon bond cleavage. To investigate the role of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases in pheromone biosynthesis, we characterized a bifunctional GPP/FPP synthase and a GGPP synthase in the mountain pine beetle. The ratio of GPP to FPP produced by the GPP/FPP synthase was highly dependent on the ratio of the substrates isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate used in the assay. Transcript levels in various tissues and life stages suggested that GGPP rather than GPP or FPP is used as a precursor to frontalin. Reduction of transcript levels by RNA interference of the isoprenyl diphosphate synthases identified GGPP synthase as having the largest effect on frontalin production, suggesting that frontalin is derived from a 20-carbon isoprenoid precursor rather than from the 10-or 15-carbon precursors. (Fig. 1), is an antiaggregation pheromone known to be synthesized de novo via the mevalonate pathway in male midgut tissue (3, 4). Frontalin acts as a pheromone, attractant, or kairomone in most other Dendroctonus species, other insects (5), and even elephants (6, 7) and has been studied in bark beetles for more than 40 y (8). Its biosynthetic precursor, 6-methylhept-6-en-2-one (6MHO), found in both insects and elephants (6, 9), is hypothesized to originate from cleavage of geranyl diphosphate (GPP), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), or geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) by a dioxygenase or cytochrome P450 (10). These isoprenyl diphosphates are biosynthesized from the five-carbon precursors isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) by the isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (IDSs) GPP synthase (GPPS), FPP synthase (FPPS), and GGPP synthase (GGPPS). However, it is not known which of these isoprenyl diphosphates is used as a precursor in frontalin biosynthesis.A few IDSs have been characterized in Coleoptera, including an FPPS from the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) (11), a GPPS/FPPS from the horseradish leaf beetle (Phaedon cochleariae) (12), and a unique GPPS from the pine engraver beetle (Ips pini) that also produces myrcene (13,14). To assess their importance in pheromone biosynthesis, we identified and functionally characterized two IDSs in MPB. Based on three different lines of evidence, gene-expression patterns of the IDSs, enzyme activity of recombinant proteins, and the frontalin content of dsRNA-trea...

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Pheromone production in bark beetles

Cited by 260 publications

References 89 publications

Temperature-driven range expansion of an irruptive insect heightened by weakly coevolved plant defenses

Temperature-driven range expansion of an irruptive insect heightened by weakly coevolved plant defenses

Effect of Water Stress and Fungal Inoculation on Monoterpene Emission from an Historical and a New Pine Host of the Mountain Pine Beetle

Frontalin pheromone biosynthesis in the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae , and the role of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases

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