Regulation of sex pheromone biosynthesis in tenebrio molitor females

甲虫通过破坏农田作物、储存产品和森林，对人类产生惊人的经济和社会影响。 相反，许多甲虫是有益的，作为害虫的捕食者和杂草的生物控制剂。 在理解鞘翅目生物化学的旅程中获得的知识可以用来控制害虫物种，或帮助管理有益物种。 甲虫产生信息素的生物合成途径以及这些途径的调控机制一直是人们感兴趣的目标。 然而，大多数研究都集中在聚集信息素生产的生物化学。 我们建议检查的生物化学的性信息素生产的模式系统，黄粉虫甲虫，黄粉虫。 其他工作人员的早期研究确定，雌性产生的性信息素4-甲基壬醇的产生是由保幼激素（JH）调节的。 我们已经阐明了信息素的生物合成途径，证实了4-甲基壬醇的生产受JH的调节，并确定了一种参与4-甲基壬醇生物合成的酶，该酶受JH的调节。 我们还发现，交配诱导的性信息素在女性的水平暂时下降，由于至少部分抑制性信息素的生物合成。 在这个提议中，我们计划确定JH和交配对雌性T.莫利托。 这些信息将不仅增加我们的昆虫代谢的基本知识，但从长远来看，增强了解的因素，刺激或抑制信息素的生产可能是实用价值，在我们试图开发新的策略来操纵害虫种群。

Beetles effect a staggering economic and social impact on humankind through the destruction of field crops, stored products, and forests.  Conversely, many beetles are beneficial, acting as predators of insect pests and as biological control agents for weeds.  Knowledge gained in the journey to understand coleopteran biochemistry could be exploited to control pest species, or aid in the management of beneficial species.  The biosynthetic pathways used by beetles to produce their pheromones, and the mechanisms by which these pathways are regulated, have been the targets of much interest.  However, most studies have focused on the biochemistry of aggregation pheromone production.  We propose to examine the biochemistry of sex pheromone production in a model system, the yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor.  Early studies by other workers established that the production of the female-produced sex pheromone, 4-methylnonanol, is regulated by Juvenile Hormone (JH).  We have elucidated the biosynthetic route to the pheromone, confirmed that 4-methylnonanol production is regulated by JH, and identified one enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of 4-metnhylnonanol that is regulated by JH.  We also discovered that mating induces a temporary decrease in the level of sex pheromone in the female, due at least in part to an inhibition of sex pheromone biosynthesis.  In this proposal, we plan to determine the mechanisms by which JH and mating exert their effects on pheromone levels in female T. molitor.  This information will not only increase our basic knowledge of insect metabolism but, in the long term, an enhanced understanding of the factors that stimulate or inhibit pheromone production might be of practical value in our attempts to develop new strategies for the manipulation of pest populations.