Tarsi of Male Heliothine Moths Contain Aldehydes and Butyrate Esters as Potential Pheromone Components

Choi, Man‐Yeon; Ahn, Seung‐Joon; Park, Kye-Chung; Meer, Robert Vander; Cardé, Ring T.; Jurenka, Russell A.

doi:10.1007/s10886-016-0701-3

Cited by 10 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…One of the minor components, 16:Ald is found in pheromone glands at trace levels but is not required for male attraction, therefore is not considered a sex pheromone in H. zea (Hillier and Baker, 2016). Relative to our study, 16:Ald was found in legs of heliothine moths: a large amount (0.5-1.5 μg) in male tarsi and a lower amount (0.05-0.5 μg) in female tarsi, (Choi et al, 2016). However, the biological role of 16:Ald in the legs of heliothines is still unclear.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 93%

“…Two PBAN receptor isoforms were more abundant in PGs than tarsi. Removing the source of PBAN by decapitation did not reduce the 16:Ald amounts in tarsi indicating the production of 16:Ald in tarsi is not under PBAN control (Choi et al, 2016). In addition, we found transcripts encoding for four other GPCRs: DHR, ETHR, SPR, and OctoR.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Moreover, the minor gland component hexadecanal (16:Ald) has been found in several heliothines but is used as a sex pheromone in only a few species (Hillier and Baker, 2016). Recently, Choi et al (2016) found a large amount (0.5-1.5 μg) of 16:Ald in the male tarsi and lower amounts (0.05-0.5 μg) in the female tarsi of several heliothines including Helicoverpa zea. Based on the process of the major sex pheromone component biosynthesis, the production of 16:Ald is assumed to be the same but without the action of a desaturase.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Transcriptional comparison between pheromone gland-ovipositor and tarsi in the corn earworm moth Helicoverpa zea

Dou

Liu

Ahn

et al. 2019

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Pr

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The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, utilizes (Z)-11-hexadecenal as the major sex pheromone component. The saturated fatty acid derivative hexadecanal is also found in the pheromone gland and recently a large amount (0.5-1.5 μg) was found in male tarsi with lower amounts (0.05-0.5 μg) in female tarsi. In this study, we compared the transcriptome between female pheromone glands (including the ovipositor) and female and male tarsi to identify differences between these tissues, particularly the genes involved in sex pheromone biosynthesis and chemosensation. We found transcripts encoding 9 fatty acyl-CoA desaturases, 20 fatty acyl-CoA reductases, 8 alcohol oxidases, some G protein-coupled receptors and many transcripts involved in signal transduction and pheromone transportation. Also we found gustatory and olfactory receptors associated with the tarsi and ovipositor. Differential expression analysis showed that there were many genes differentially expressed between tissues, including the candidate desaturases, fatty acyl-CoA reductases, and alcohol oxidases. We discuss how some of these genes produce proteins that could be involved in the biosynthesis of hexadecanal in tarsi and (Z)-11-hexadecenal in the pheromone gland and the possible role of proteins in chemosensation of the tarsi and ovipositor.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Transcriptional comparison between pheromone gland-ovipositor and tarsi in the corn earworm moth Helicoverpa zea

Dou

Liu

Ahn

et al. 2019

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Pr

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“…In conclusion, our results demonstrate that females of H. virescens possess the pheromone detection elements (pheromone receptors, PBPs and SNMP1), which would enable them to “autodetect” a sex pheromone component but also to sense other pheromones. Compounds released from conspecifics, such as male hairpencil compounds (Hillier & Vickers, ) or the newly discovered components released from male tarsi (Choi et al ., ) are considered as candidates. Although, similar molecular elements for pheromone detection were found in the two sexes; significant differences between sexes emerged, including the spatial segregation of SNMP1 cells (cluster vs. solitary) and the coexpression of HR11 and SNMP1 in females but not in males.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular elements of pheromone detection in the female moth, Heliothis virescens

2017

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Pheromones play pivotal roles in the reproductive behavior of moths, most prominently for the mate finding of male moths. Accordingly, the molecular basis for the detection of female-released pheromones by male moths has been studied in great detail. In contrast, little is known about how females can detect pheromone components released by themselves or by conspecifics. In this study, we assessed the antenna of female Heliothis virescens for elements of pheromone detection. In accordance with previous findings that female antennae respond to the sex pheromone component (Z)-9-tetradecenal, we identified olfactory sensory neurons that express its cognate receptor, the receptor type HR6. All HR6 cells coexpressed the "sensory neuron membrane protein 1" (SNMP1) and were associated with supporting cells expressing the pheromone-binding proteins PBP1 and PBP2. These features are reminiscent to male antennae and point to congruent mechanisms for pheromone detection in the two sexes. Further analysis of the SNMP1-expressing cells revealed a higher number in females compared to males. Moreover, in females, the SNMP1 neurons were arranged in clusters, which project their dendrites into a common sensillum, whereas in males there were only solitary SNMP1-neurons and only 1 per sensillum. Not all SNMP1 positive cells in female antennae expressed HR6 but instead the putative pheromone receptors HR11 and HR18, respectively. Neurons expressing 1 of the 3 receptor types were assigned to different sensilla. Together the data indicate that on the antenna of females, sensory neurons in a subset of sensilla trichodea are equipped with molecular elements, which render them responsive to pheromones.

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“…To ensure that our findings could be attributed to this male pheromone compound and not to any odor that changes the female’s odor, we also perfumed virgin females with 100 ng hexadecanal (16:Ald). This compound is present in the female sex pheromone gland3940 and on the male’s tarsi41 and perceived by both males and females42, but it has not been shown to affect male attraction43.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental evidence for chemical mate guarding in a moth

Hosseini

Wijk

Gao

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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In polyandrous species, males seek to maximize their reproductive output by monopolizing their mate. Often the male transfers substances to the female that suppress her sexual receptivity or antagonize the behavior of competing males; both are usually transferred in seminal fluids and represent forms of chemical mate guarding. In moths, more long-range female sex pheromones have been identified than in any other animal group, and males often display with close-range sex pheromones, yet odor-based post-copulatory mate guarding has not been described in moths so far. We tested the hypothesis that the male sex pheromone in the noctuid moth Heliothis virescens perfumes the female and functions as an anti-aphrodisiac. Indeed, virgin females perfumed with male pheromone extract, or with its main component, mated significantly less than control virgin females, and this effect persisted for two successive nights. This chemical mate guarding strategy was disadvantageous for H. virescens females, because the reproductive output of twice-mated females was significantly higher than that of once-mated females. Since the female and male sex pheromones are biosynthetically related in this and other moth species, chemical mate guarding may also impose selection pressure on the long-range female sex pheromone channel and consequently affect the evolution of sexual communication.

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Tarsi of Male Heliothine Moths Contain Aldehydes and Butyrate Esters as Potential Pheromone Components

Cited by 10 publications

References 38 publications

Transcriptional comparison between pheromone gland-ovipositor and tarsi in the corn earworm moth Helicoverpa zea

Transcriptional comparison between pheromone gland-ovipositor and tarsi in the corn earworm moth Helicoverpa zea

Molecular elements of pheromone detection in the female moth, Heliothis virescens

Experimental evidence for chemical mate guarding in a moth

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