Moth Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis: Key Enzyme Characteriza- tion

蛾类性信息素通讯系统是影响田间物种生殖特异性的重要因素，已被用于害虫管理计划中以监测和抑制某些害虫物种。本提案中的研究将调查雌蛾使用的不同生化途径，以产生每个物种使用的信息素的独特化学混合物。在新西兰发现的原始物种所使用的生物合成途径在北美物种的比较将进行，以获得这些酶系统的进化信息。关键酶，特别是一个独特的去饱和酶，在这些生化途径中使用的特点和物种之间的比较。与这些表征同时进行的将是对编码这些独特酶的mRNA的研究。这项工作的长期目标将是确定参与性信息素化合物产生的基因和基因表达的调节。在以后的某个日子里，这些技术可能会用于将这些基因插入农作物中，作为开发新的昆虫控制程序的手段。

Moth sex pheromone communication systems are an important factor in effecting species reproductive specificity in the field, and they have been utilized in pest management programs to monitor and suppress certain pest species. Research in the present proposal will investigate different biochemical routes that are used by female moths to produce the unique chemical blends of pheromones used by each species. A comparison of biosynthetic routes used by primitive species found in New Zealand to those used by species in North America will be carried out to obtain information on the evolution of these enzyme systems. Key enzymes, particularly a unique desaturase, used in these biochemical pathways will be characterized and compared among species. Concurrent with these characterizations will be a study of the mRNA's that encode for those unique enzymes. The long-term goal of this effort will be to identify the genes and the regulation of the expression of the genes involved in the production of the sex pheromone compounds. At some later date, the techniques may be available to insert these genes in agricultural crops as a means for developing novel insect control programs.