title: Intraspecific nucleotide variation at the pheromone binding protein locus in the turnip moth, Agrotis segetum.
abstract: Inter- and intraspecific amino acid variability in the pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) of the Lepidoptera is believed to contribute to a molecular mechanism of pheromone blend discrimination. Messenger RNA coding for PBP sequence in Agrotis segetum (Noctuidae) was cloned, and nucleotide and inferred amino acid variation across a 769-bp region of a PBP locus was studied in two populations. A single gene copy was fully sequenced, revealing an intron/exon structure conserved with distant saturniids. While several nucleotide substitutions are predicted to result in amino acid replacement, tests for the presence of natural selection suggest that the observed variation is neutral. A phylogenetic analysis provides evidence that the two populations are in the process of genetic isolation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolution, State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA. laforest@mit.edu
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: LaForest
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Prestwich
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Löfstedt
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D001937:Brassica; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017344:Genes, Insect; D014644:Genetic Variation; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010675:Pheromones; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D010675:Pheromones; C403713:pheromone binding protein, insect