Mimicking insect communication: release and detection of pheromone, biosynthesized by an alcohol acetyl transferase immobilized in a microreactor

PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e47751. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047751. Epub 2012 Nov 14.

Abstract

Infochemical production, release and detection of (Z,E)-9,11-tetradecadienyl acetate, the major component of the pheromone of the moth Spodoptera littoralis, is achieved in a novel microfluidic system designed to mimic the final step of the pheromone biosynthesis by immobilized recombinant alcohol acetyl transferase. The microfluidic system is part of an "artificial gland", i.e., a chemoemitter that comprises a microreactor connected to a microevaporator and is able to produce and release a pre-defined amount of the major component of the pheromone from the corresponding (Z,E)-9,11-tetradecadienol. Performance of the entire chemoemitter has been assessed in electrophysiological and behavioral experiments. Electroantennographic depolarizations of the pheromone produced by the chemoemitter were ca. 40% relative to that evoked by the synthetic pheromone. In a wind tunnel, the pheromone released from the evaporator elicited on males a similar attraction behavior as 3 virgin females in most of the parameters considered.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Communication*
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Male
  • Pheromones / chemistry*
  • Sex Attractants / chemistry*
  • Spodoptera / physiology*

Substances

  • (9Z, 11E)-tetradecadienyl acetate
  • Pheromones
  • Sex Attractants

Grants and funding

The research leading to this publication was funded by the European Commission, through the Biosynthetic Infochemical Communication (“iCHEM”) project, contract no. 032275. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.