Kinetic properties of a sex pheromone-degrading enzyme: the sensillar esterase of Antheraea polyphemus.
Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence has suggested that sex pheromone is rapidly inactivated within the sensory hairs soon after initiation of the action-potential spike. We report the isolation and characterization of a sex-pheromone-degrading enzyme from the sensory hairs of the silkmoth Antheraea polyphemus. In the presence of this enzyme at physiological concentration, the pheromone [(6E,11Z)-hexadecadienyl acetate] has an estimated half-life of 15 msec. Our findings suggest a molecular model for pheromone reception in which a previously reported pheromone-binding protein acts as a pheromone carrier, and an enzyme acts as a rapid pheromone inactivator, maintaining a low stimulus noise level within the sensory hairs.
D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D004950:Esterases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000201:enzymology*; D009036:Moths / Q000201:enzymology*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology
D000085:Acetates; D010675:Pheromones; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D004950:Esterases