Regulation of sex pheromone biosynthesis in tenebrio molitor females

甲虫通过破坏大田作物、储藏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，它们充当害虫的捕食者和杂草的生防剂。在了解鞘翅目生物化学的过程中获得的知识可以被利用来控制害虫物种，或帮助管理有益物种。甲虫用来产生信息素的生物合成途径以及这些途径的调节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产生的生物化学上。我们建议在一个模型系统--黄粉虫--黄粉虫中检验性信息素产生的生物化学。其他工作者的早期研究证实，雌性产生的性信息素4-甲基壬醇的产生受幼虫激素(JH)的调节。我们已经阐明了信息素的生物合成途径，证实了4-甲基壬醇的产生受JH调节，并鉴定了参与4-甲基壬醇生物合成的一种酶，该酶受JH调节。我们还发现交配诱导雌性性激素水平的暂时性下降至少部分是由于抑制了性信息素的生物合成。在这项建议中，我们计划确定JH和交配对雌性黄粉虫信息素水平产生影响的机制。这些信息不仅将增加我们对昆虫新陈代谢的基本知识，而且从长远来看，加强对刺激或抑制信息素产生的因素的理解可能对我们尝试开发操纵害虫种群的新策略具有实用价值。

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.