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Site of pheromone biosynthesis and isolation of HMG‐CoA reductase cDNA in the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis
Author(s) -
Taban A. Huma,
Fu Jessica,
Blake Jacob,
Awano Ami,
Tittiger Claus,
Blomquist Gary J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
archives of insect biochemistry and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.576
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1520-6327
pISSN - 0739-4462
DOI - 10.1002/arch.20125
Subject(s) - anthonomus , biology , boll weevil , reductase , biosynthesis , curculionidae , hmg coa reductase , biochemistry , pheromone , complementary dna , botany , enzyme , gene
Isolated gut tissue from male cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), incorporated radiolabeled acetate into components that co‐eluted with monoterpenoid pheromone components on HPLC. This demonstrates that pheromone components of male A. grandis are produced de novo and strongly suggests that pheromone biosynthesis occurs in gut tissue. A central enzyme in isoprenoid biosynthesis is 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA reductase (HMG‐R), and a full‐length HMG‐R cDNA was isolated from A. grandis . The predicted translation product was 54 and 45% identical to HMG‐R from Ips paraconfusus and Drosophila melanogaster , respectively. HMG‐R gene expression gradually increased with age in male A. grandis , which correlates with pheromone production. However, topical application of JH III did not significantly increase HMG‐R mRNA levels. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 62:153–163, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.