| 1. |
- Frey, T., et al.
(author)
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The human odorant receptor OR10A6 is tuned to the pheromone of the commensal fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster
- 2022
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In: iScience. - : Elsevier BV. - 2589-0042. ; 25:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- All living things speak chemistry. The challenge is to reveal the vocabulary, the odorants that enable communication across phylogenies and to translate them to physiological, behavioral, and ecological function. Olfactory receptors (ORs) interface animals with airborne odorants. Expression in heterologous cells makes it possible to interrogate single ORs and to identify cognate ligands. The cosmopolitan, anthropophilic strain of the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster depends on human resources and housing for survival. Curiously, humans sense the pheromone (Z)-4-undecenal (Z4-11Al) released by single fly females. A screening of all human ORs shows that the most highly expressed OR10A6 is tuned to Z4-11Al. Females of an ancestral African fly strain release a blend of Z4-11Al and Z4-9Al that produces a different aroma, which is how we distinguish these fly strains by nose. That flies and humans sense Z4-11Al via dedicated ORs shows how convergent evolution shapes communication channels between vertebrate and invertebrate animals.
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| 2. |
- Bengtsson, Marie, et al.
(author)
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Pheromone races of Cydia splendana (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) overlap in host plant association and geographic distribution
- 2014
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In: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-701X. ; 2, s. 1-6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Identification of the sex pheromone of Cydia splendana (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) bypheromone gland analysis followed by field trapping with synthetic compounds showsthe occurrence of two pheromone races. Acorn moth females from Sweden, whereoak Quercus robur is the only host plant, use a blend of the E,Z and E,E isomers of8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate. In Central and Southern Europe, where C. splendana feedson chestnut Castanea sativa and several species of oak, males respond to another isomerblend, E,E and Z,E. The distribution of the two pheromone races of C. splendana overlapsin Northern France, where they share oak as plant host. Differences in sex communicationsignals between these populations of C. splendana corroborate the role of specific materecognition in speciation events.
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| 3. |
- Gonzalez, Francisco, et al.
(author)
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Odorant receptor phylogeny confirms conserved channels for sex pheromone and host plant signals in tortricid moths
- 2020
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In: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 10:14, s. 7334-7348
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The search for mates and food is mediated by volatile chemicals. Insects sense food odorants and sex pheromones through odorant receptors (ORs) and pheromone receptors (PRs), which are expressed in olfactory sensory neurons. Molecular phylogenetics of ORs, informed by behavioral and functional data, generates sound hypotheses for the identification of semiochemicals driving olfactory behavior. Studying orthologous receptors and their ligands across taxa affords insights into the role of chemical communication in reproductive isolation and phylogenetic divergence. The female sex pheromone of green budworm mothHedya nubiferana(Lepidoptera, Totricidae) is a blend of two unsaturated acetates, only a blend of both elicits male attraction. Females produce in addition codlemone, which is the sex pheromone of another tortricid, codling mothCydia pomonella. Codlemone also attracts green budworm moth males. Concomitantly, green budworm and codling moth males are attracted to the host plant volatile pear ester. A congruent behavioral response to the same pheromone and plant volatile in two tortricid species suggests co-occurrence of dedicated olfactory channels. In codling moth, one PR is tuned to both compounds, the sex pheromone codlemone and the plant volatile pear ester. Our phylogenetic analysis finds that green budworm moth expresses an orthologous PR gene. Shared ancestry, and high levels of amino acid identity and sequence similarity, in codling and green budworm moth PRs offer an explanation for parallel attraction of both species to the same compounds. A conserved olfactory channel for a sex pheromone and a host plant volatile substantiates the alliance of social and habitat signals in insect chemical communication. Field attraction assays confirm that in silico investigations of ORs afford powerful predictions for an efficient identification of behavior-modifying semiochemicals, for an improved understanding of the mechanisms of host plant attraction in insect herbivores and for the further development of sustainable insect control.
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| 4. |
- Witzgall, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Pheromone communication channels in tortricid moths: lower specificity of alcohol vs. acetate geometric isomer blends
- 2010
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In: Bulletin of entomological research. - 0007-4853 .- 1475-2670. ; 100:2, s. 225-230
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Discrimination of conspecific and heterospecific signals is a key element in the evolution of specific mate recognition systems. Lepidopteran pheromone signals are typically composed of several compounds that synergize attraction of conspecific and inhibit attraction of heterospecific males. Blends convey specificity, but not their single components, that are typically shared by several species. Many sex pheromones are blends of geometric or positional isomers of straight-chain acetates, while species-specific blends of analogous alcohols have not been described. We have, therefore, studied the attraction of tortricid moths to the geometric isomers (E,E)-, (E,Z)-, (Z,E)- and (Z,Z)-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol. Only one species responding to these alcohols seemed to be attracted to a blend of two isomers, while most species are attracted to only one alcohol isomer. Lack of a pronounced synergist or antagonist effect of the other geometric isomers explains the lack of specific attraction to isomer blends and reduces accordingly the number of specific communication signals composed of these alcohols. In comparison, many more species respond to the analogous (E,E)-, (E,Z)-, (Z,E)- and (Z,Z)-8,10-dodecadienyl acetates and their binary blends. The acetate isomers all play a behavioural role, either as attractants, attraction synergists or antagonists, and thus promote specific communication with acetate blends. Male moths seem to discriminate the acetate isomers with greater precision than the analogous alcohols. It is proposed that discrimination is facilitated by steric differences between the four acetate isomers, as compared to the more uniform steric properties of the alcohols.
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| 5. |
- Witzgall, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Sex pheromones and attractants in the Eucosmini and Grapholitini (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)
- 1996
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In: Chemoecology. - : Springer. - 0937-7409 .- 1423-0445. ; 7:1, s. 13-23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The geometric isomers (E, E)-, (E, Z)-, (Z, E)-, and (Z, Z)-8, 10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate were identified as sex pheromone components or sex attractants in the tribes Eucosmini and Grapholitini of the tortricid subfamily Olethreutinae. Species belonging to the more ancestral Tortricinae were not attracted. Each one isomer was behaviourally active in males of Cydia and Grapholita (Grapholitini), either as main pheromone compound, attraction synergist or attraction inhibitor. Their reciprocal attractive/antagonistic activity in a number of species enables specific communication with these four compounds. Pammene, as well as other Grapholita and Cydia responded to the monoenic 8- or 10-dodecen-1-yl acetates. Of the tribes Olethreutini and Eucosmini, Hedya, Epiblema, Eucosma, and Notocelia trimaculana were also attracted to 8, 10-dodecadien-1-yl acetates, but several other Notocelia to 10, 12-tetradecadien-1-yl acetates. The female sex pheromones of C. fagiglandana, C. pyrivora, C. splendana, Epiblema foenella and Notocelia roborana were identified. (E, E)- and (E, Z)- 8, 10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate are produced via a common E9 desaturation pathway in C. splendana. Calling C. nigricana and C. fagiglandana females are attracted to wingfanning males.
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| 6. |
- Becher, Paul, et al.
(author)
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Yeast, not fruit volatiles mediate Drosophila melanogaster attraction, oviposition and development
- 2012
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In: Functional Ecology. - : Wiley. - 1365-2435 .- 0269-8463. ; 26:4, s. 822-828
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1.In nature, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is attracted to fermenting fruit. Micro-organisms like Saccharomyces yeasts growing on fruit occupy a commonly overlooked trophic level between fruit and insects. Although the dietary quality of yeast is well established for D.melanogaster, the individual contribution of fruit and yeast on host finding and reproductive success has not been established. 2.Here, we show that baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on its own is sufficient for fruit fly attraction, oviposition and larval development. In contrast, attraction and oviposition were significantly lower if non-fermented grape juice or growth media were used, and yeast-free grapes did not support larval development either. 3.Despite a strong preference for fermented substrates, moderate attraction to and oviposition on unfermented fruit might be adaptive in view of the fly's capacity to vector yeast. 4.Signals emitted by fruit were only of secondary importance because fermenting yeast without fruit induced the same fly behaviour as yeast fermenting on fruit. We identified a synthetic mimic of yeast odour, comprising ethanol, acetic acid, acetoin, 2-phenyl ethanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol, which was as attractive for the fly as fermenting grape juice or fermenting yeast minimal medium. 5.Yeast odours represent the critical signal to establish the flyfruityeast relationship. The traditional plantherbivore niche concept needs to be updated, to accommodate for the role of micro-organisms in insectplant interactions.
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