A Model of Pheromone Molecule-Acceptor Interaction Wolf A. Kafka and Jürgen Neuwirth Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, Seewiesen
(Z. Naturforsch. 30 c, 278 — 282 [1975]; received November 8, 1974)
Receptor, Acceptor-sites, Binding Energy, Specificity, Pheromone
Multiple binding interactions between odor molecules and acceptors are formulated by means of the Boltzmann statistics and intermolecular bond energies. Number, spatial arrangement and elec tronic properties of binding positions of the acceptor can be defined such that the specificity of sex pheromone receptors in male noctuid moths is quantitatively described.
Introduction terms of equilibrium ocnstants. In contrast to these dynamic models we propose a static model in which The understanding of molecular principles under the binding probabilities are directly correlated with laying odor reception has gained considerably from the molecular characteristics. The model will first studies of insect olfactory systems1-3. Here, electro- be generally formulated; its validity will then be physiological methods have permitted to determine tested by using electrophysiological data from sex the responses of single olfactory receptor cells in pheromone reception in certain species of male regard to stimulus molecules altered, systematically, Lepidoptera 27_29. in shape, flexibility, rotational characteristics, and the positions and nature of functional groups 4_13. From these studies it has been deduced that weak General Concept of Odor Molecule — Acceptor chemical interactions occur between the odor mole Interaction cules and proposed types of acceptors on the mem The formalism is directed to correlate electro- brane of the receptor cells. By these interactions the physiological activities, binding energies, and cer acceptors — presumably by conformational tain molecular properties of both the stimulus changes — become switched into states which trig molecules and hypothetic binding partners (accep ger the electrical processes of the cell response14. tors) . First, electron polarisability and dipole It has further been proposed that the causation of moments of a set of stimulus molecules and the the above (all-or-none) states primarily depends electrophysiologically determined activities will be on an appropriate energy transfer between distinct used to calculate the here to fore unknown values positions of pronounced electron polarisabilities and of polarisabilities and dipole moments of the accep dipole moments in both binding partners4’ 12>15. tor. With these acceptor values defined, the activities This step of simplification implies the assumption of a further set of compounds will then be pre that equivalent receptor cell responses are initiated dicted. by equal numbers of odor molecule-acceptor com We define ( m ) as the single compound which plexes, regardless of the kind of stimulus com revealed to be the most effective in the electro- pounds. For different compounds the respective physiological test. The activity of any other com stimulus quantities should then reflect the probabi pound (5) will then be expressed by the quotient o f lities of forming such complexes. the respective stimulus quantities ( cs, cm), required Quantitative models on chemoreceptive trans to elicit an equivalent cell response. This quotient duction processes have so far focussed on the (cs/cm) should thus be equivalent to the quotient of k ittie s rather tthan on thevselectivity of |he inter-' the probabilities of the attachment. We explain the action between stimulus molecules and hypothetical probabilities of interaction for the different mole acceptors16-26. The molecular details have either cules (5, m) by the Boltzmann-factors been ignored or been expressed only indirectly in exp ( — f/tot ,max IkT) Requests for reprints should be sent to Dr. "Wolf A. and the total maximum binding energies f/tot,max Kafka, Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, D-8131 Seewiesen. between the odor molecule and the acceptor accord-
Dieses Werk wurde im Jahr 2013 vom Verlag Zeitschrift für Naturforschung This work has been digitalized and published in 2013 by Verlag Zeitschrift in Zusammenarbeit mit der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der für Naturforschung in cooperation with the Max Planck Society for the Wissenschaften e.V. digitalisiert und unter folgender Lizenz veröffentlicht: Advancement of Science under a Creative Commons Attribution Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 Lizenz. 4.0 International License. W. A. Kafka and J. Neuwirth • A Model of Pheromone Molecule — Acceptor Interaction 279
ing to Eqn (1) 15, 30> 31: Application of the Model
*'S _ exp ( ^tot.max/^ T) _ exp (mUtot ,max S^tot,max) In the preceeding paper by Priesner et al . 27, Cm exp (SU tot.max/^ T) k T electrophysiological data were reported reflecting (1) the specificity of pheromone receptors in male moth In this equation, changes of entropy, displacements (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera) to certain mono of other molecules from the binding sites, and the unsaturated acetates and alcohols. These compounds possible cooperative interaction between different have in common three positions of pronounced acceptors are neglected. The binding energy Utot,max electron densites, viz. a terminal methyl group of is given by the sum UlljV of the energies between the hydrocarbon chain (ii = l ) ; an ethylene linkage the pronounced binding positions. With u positions (u = 2) ; and an acetoxy of hydroxy group (u = 3), in the odor molecule and v positions in the acceptor respectively. (subsites), distanced by ruv and distinguished by Considering receptor cells for which cis-9-tetra- distinct electron polarisabilities a u, av and dipole decen-l-yl acetate is the most active stimulus27, the moments p u , pv, the binding energy U tot.max respective acceptor thus is characterized by three thus may be expressed by the subsequent Eqn (2) subsites (u = l, v = 2, v = S) with the following (Fig. 1) 15,8°, si: mutual distances:
^
Fig. 2. Total binding energy U to t between ct's-9-tetradecen- 1-yl acetate and a given model acceptor at 7000 x,«/-steps. The model acceptor refers to the noctuid moth species Apamea rubrirena. Both the x- and y-movements are in 0.2 A steps at a constant angle of rotation according to Fig. 1. f /t o t is projected in arbitrary units onto the y-axis. For each of the 50 y- steps the highest value Utot is projected onto the x-axis; one of these renders the maximum total binding energy Z7tot,max between the chosen test molecule and the model acceptor. Smaller peaks (e. g. the one at far left) arise from binding energies Utot between less than three «^-combinations according to Fig. 1, whereas the ~1.5 A waves in C/tot reflect inter actions of the C — H-bonds of the stimulus molecule with the three acceptor positions.
The translation was by steps of 0.2 Ä, each followed A typical set of physico-chemical properties thus by rotations in steps 1° from 0 — 90°. Starting with ascribed to an acceptor specialized for ci.s-9-tetra- reasonable values for a v , pv and d, the binding decen-l-yl acetate is 30: energy Ut01 was calculated according to Eqn ( 2 ) for 0 ^ = 1 = 1.1 av = 9 = 2.1 av = 3 = 0.4 (esu) each step, one of which gave Utot,m ax (Fig. 2 ). Sub P v = 1 = - Pv = 2 = - Pt; = 3 = 0.7 (debye) sequently the values a v , pv and d were optimized d ,= 2.5 Ä /j, =0.09 /2, =0.64 J = 9 (eV) until for the set of compounds used (Fig. 3), the values (cs/cm) obtained by Eqn (1) all coincided For this acceptor (which refers to males of the with the electrophysiological activities reported 2 7 noctuid species Apamea rubrirena ) the calculated (Fig. 3). energy of interaction Utot,max was largely indepen dent from values py = i and pv = 2 on account of the small values for pu = \ and pu=2- The fit was not X reference achieved unless the binding position v = 1 (cor • predicted o fittin g responding to the terminal methyl group of the hy j experimental drocarbon chain) was shifted up to the plane of the stimulus molecule (in Fig. 1) and 2.1 Ä in prolongation of its longitudinal axis. (For a de tailed discussion see Neuwirth 30). Defining Ut , U2, U3 as the binding energies at the position v = 1, 2, 3, respectively, their values for 30- the most active compound (cis-9-tetradecen-l-yl acetate) were as follows: 100- Ux = 1.7 U2 = 7.0 U3 = 1.5 (1/6.023) 10- 2 3 kcal/molecule For the other compounds employed in calculations 5 6 7 9 5 7 8 9 1011 13 (s. Fig. 3) the corresponding energies ranged be Fig. 3. Activity values of monounsaturated acetates differing tween 60 and 90 percent of these values. in chain length and in position of the cis-C — C-bonds (ab scissa) for a presumed pheromene receptor of the noctuid By keeping the above acceptor values av , pv , and moth species Apamea rubrirena. Ordinate: numbers of mole d constant, Eqns (1) and (2) were then employed cules required for a distinct response, reference + cis-9- to trace Utot.max f°r further molecules (s. Fig. 3), tetradecen-l-yl acetate; experimental = activity values de termined electrophysiologically27; fitting = activity values thus calculating their activities towards this accep resulting in the process of determination of the acceptor tor. The obtained values are in perfect agreement values; predicted — activity values calculated for further with the activities of the electrophysiological mea compounds (s. text). All the calculated values are within the class range determined electrophysiologically 27. surements (Fig. 3). W. A. Kafka and J. Neuwirth • A Model of Pheromone Molecule — Acceptor Interaction 281
Discussion the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle 3 8 and the total binding energies ( ~ 1 0 -23kcal per molecule), this Our rather simplified model, here presented, minimum of time should be in the range of 1 0 - 1 4 — intends to describe the first selective step of the 1 0 “ 13 sec. These energies are in the range of weak olfactory process, i. e. the formation of complexes chemical interactions. among oder molecules and hypothetic acceptors on The molecules considered here had identical func receptor cells in insects. Similar to principles pro tional groups, but at different spatial arrangements. posed for drug action 2 3 , 3 2 and recently also for human This reveals that different binding energies are due gustation and olfaction14’20’33-35, these complexes to different distances ru
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