The Scent of the Fly

Becher, PaulSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Växtskyddsbiologi,Department of Plant Protection Biology,Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp (författare)

(Z)-4-undecenal (Z4-11Al) is the volatile pheromone produced by females of the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. Female flies emit Z4-11Al for species-specific communication and mate-finding. A sensory panel finds that synthetic Z4-11Al has a characteristic flavour, which can be perceived even at the small amounts produced by a single female fly. Since only females produce Z4-11Al, and not males, we can reliably distinguish between single D. melanogaster males and females, according to their scent. Females release Z4-11Al at 2.4 ng/h and we readily sense 1 ng synthetic Z4-11Al in a glass of wine (0.03 nmol/L), while a tenfold concentration is perceived as a loud off-flavour. This corroborates the observation that a glass of wine is spoilt by a single D. melanogaster fly falling into it, which we here show is caused by Z4-11Al. The biological role of Z4-11Al or structurally related aldehydes in humans and the basis for this semiochemical convergence remains yet unclear.

Lebreton, SebastienSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Växtskyddsbiologi,Department of Plant Protection Biology,Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp(Swepub:slu)49945 (författare)
Wallin, Erika,1985-Mittuniversitetet,Avdelningen för kemiteknik(Swepub:miun)erikwa (författare)
Hedenström, Erik,1955-Mittuniversitetet,Avdelningen för kemiteknik(Swepub:miun)erihed (författare)
Borrero, FelipeColombian Corporation of Agricultural Research, Las Palmas, Bogota, Colombia (författare)
Bengtsson, MarieSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Växtskyddsbiologi,Department of Plant Protection Biology,Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp(Swepub:slu)47061 (författare)
Joerger, VolkerStaatliches Weinbauinstitut, Freiburg, Germany (författare)
Witzgall, PeterSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Växtskyddsbiologi,Department of Plant Protection Biology,Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp(Swepub:slu)48263 (författare)
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitetVäxtskyddsbiologi (creator_code:org_t)
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet

Ingår i:Journal of Chemical Ecology: Springer Science and Business Media LLC44:5, s. 431-4350098-03311573-1561

Av författaren/redakt...: Becher, Paul; Lebreton, Sebast ...; Wallin, Erika, 1 ...; Hedenström, Erik ...; Borrero, Felipe; Bengtsson, Marie; visa fler...; Joerger, Volker; Witzgall, Peter; visa färre...

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