Chapter 8 Molecular Basis of Pheromonogenesis Regulation in Moths J. Joe Hull and Adrien Fónagy Abstract Sexual communication among the vast majority of moths typically involves the synthesis and release of species-specifc, multicomponent blends of sex pheromones (types of insect semiochemicals) by females. These compounds are then interpreted by conspecifc males as olfactory cues regarding female reproduc- tive readiness and assist in pinpointing the spatial location of emitting females. Studies by multiple groups using different model systems have shown that most sex pheromones are synthesized de novo from acetyl-CoA by functionally specialized cells that comprise the pheromone gland. Although signifcant progress was made in identifying pheromone components and elucidating their biosynthetic pathways, it wasn’t until the advent of modern molecular approaches and the increased avail- ability of genetic resources that a more complete understanding of the molecular basis underlying pheromonogenesis was developed. Pheromonogenesis is regulated by a neuropeptide termed Pheromone Biosynthesis Activating Neuropeptide (PBAN) that acts on a G protein-coupled receptor expressed at the surface of phero- mone gland cells. Activation of the PBAN receptor (PBANR) triggers a signal trans- duction cascade that utilizes an infux of extracellular Ca2+ to drive the concerted action of multiple enzymatic steps (i.e. chain-shortening, desaturation, and fatty acyl reduction) that generate the multicomponent pheromone blends specifc to each species. In this chapter, we provide a brief overview of moth sex pheromones before expanding on the molecular mechanisms regulating pheromonogenesis, and con- clude by highlighting recent developments in the literature that disrupt/exploit this critical pathway. J. J. Hull (*) USDA-ARS, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, USA e-mail:
[email protected] A.