Functional flexibility as a prelude to signal diversity? Role of a fatty acyl reductase in moth pheromone evolution

Figures & data

Figure 1 Pheromone biosynthesis in Yponomeuta padellus (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae). (A) An Yponomeuta moth on hawthorn (Crataegus sp., Rosaceae). (B) Pheromone biosynthetic pathway towards the Δ11-unsaturated components in the Yponomeuta genus. (C) GC-MS analysis of Δ11-monounsaturated fatty-acyl intermediates produced by functional expression of the Ypa-Δ11-desaturase in the YEpOLEX expression vector and the ole 1 elo 1 strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae following a procedure as previously described.14 The chromatogram trace represents dimethyl disulfide adducts (DMDS) from methanolyzed yeast extracts. In vitro, the Δ11-desaturase catalyses the introduction of a double bond at the eleventh carbon atom (characteristic ion at m/z 245) in several natural yeast fatty acids from C14 to C22. The Z11-14, E11-14 and Z11-16 acyls are produced in a 1.1:0.8:100 ratio, respectively. (D) The dot areas are proportional (%) to the Δ11-desaturase and pgFAR substrate preferences and to the final ratio between components. The reverse chain-length preference of the Δ11-desaturase and pgFAR for acyl substrates with 14 or 16 carbon atoms allows adjusting the final blend ratio.

Liénard MA, Strandh M, Hedenström E, Johansson T, Löfstedt C. Key biosynthetic gene subfamily recruited for pheromone production prior to the extensive radiation of Lepidoptera. BMC Evol Biol 2008; 8:270

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