Ant Trail Pheromone Biosynthesis Is Triggered by a Neuropeptide Hormone

Abstract

Our understanding of insect chemical communication including pheromone identification, synthesis, and their role in behavior has advanced tremendously over the last half-century. However, endocrine regulation of pheromone biosynthesis has progressed slowly due to the complexity of direct and/or indirect hormonal activation of the biosynthetic cascades resulting in insect pheromones. Over 20 years ago, a neurohormone, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) was identified that stimulated sex pheromone biosynthesis in a lepidopteran moth. Since then, the physiological role, target site, and signal transduction of PBAN has become well understood for sex pheromone biosynthesis in moths. Despite that PBAN-like peptides (∼200) have been identified from various insect Orders, their role in pheromone regulation had not expanded to the other insect groups except for Lepidoptera. Here, we report that trail pheromone biosynthesis in the Dufour's gland (DG) of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is regulated by PBAN. RNAi knock down of PBAN gene (in subesophageal ganglia) or PBAN receptor gene (in DG) expression inhibited trail pheromone biosynthesis. Reduced trail pheromone was documented analytically and through a behavioral bioassay. Extension of PBAN's role in pheromone biosynthesis to a new target insect, mode of action, and behavioral function will renew research efforts on the involvement of PBAN in pheromone biosynthesis in Insecta.

Behavioural and transcriptional changes in post-mating females of an egg parasitoid wasp species

“…Mating generally causes changes in attractiveness, that is correlated with pheromone levels [40,41]. Many studies of lepidopteran species [42] and other insect orders [43,44] have shown that pheromone biosynthesis in females is stimulated by a brain factor known as pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide (PBAN). Therefore, we aimed to test whether a change in pheromone may result in mated females becoming less attractive by evaluating the mRNA expression of PBAN between mated female and virgin through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis.…”

Regulation of Isoprenoid Pheromone Biosynthesis in Bumblebee Males

“…[12][13][14][15][16] Pheromone biosynthesis in insects is controlled by distinct hormones, such as pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN), ecdysteroid, and juvenile hormone. [17] Hormonal regulation of pheromone biosynthesis in social hymenoptera remains poorly studied;h owever research on PBAN-regulated trail pheromone biosynthesis in fire ant Solenopsis invicta [18] andt he identification of PBAN [19] and ap utative gene homologue of PBAN-receptor in the honeybee Apis mellifera [20] indicatet hat PBAN might also play ar ole in the regulation of pheromone biosynthesis in social hymenoptera. It is thus acandidate hormone in MP regulation in bumblebees.…”

Identification and characterization of capa and pyrokinin genes in the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera): Gene structure, immunocytochemistry, and differential expression

“…The PK subfamily peptides encoded from pyrokinin genes are conserved with a pentapeptide (FXPRLamide) at the C-terminal end that is diversified with WFGPRLamide in PK1 or DH, and with FXPRLamide in PK2 or PBAN (Jurenka, 2015). These peptides are involved in a variety of biological functions including the hindgut muscle contraction in the cockroach (Holman, Cook, & Nachman, 1986), sex pheromone biosynthesis in many moths (Raina et al, 1989), cuticle melanization in Leucuniu separutu (Matsumoto et al, 1990), induction of embryonic diapause in Bombyx mori (Imai et al, 1991), pupal development in Heliothis virescens (Xu & Denlinger, 2003), and trail pheromone production in Solenopsis invicta (Choi & Vander Meer, 2012).…”