Specialization of midgut cells for synthesis of male isoprenoid pheromone components in two scolytid beetles, Dendroctonus jeffreyi and Ips pini.
Endodermal or midgut cells have only recently been recognized as the site of pheromone synthesis in bark beetles. Midgut cells are not only specialized for digestion, but they have also been recruited to form isoprenoid compounds that function as pheromone components in Ips pini and Dendroctonus jeffreyi. Male bark beetle midgut cells are competent to produce isoprenoid pheromones after feeding or stimulation by juvenile hormone (JH) III. Competent midgut cells share many ultrastructural features with cells that do not secrete isoprenoid pheromone, but they are distinguished from these by abundant and highly ordered arrays of smooth endoplasmic reticula. During secretion, both midgut cells that produce pheromone and cells that do not are characterized by the presence of apical extrusions (apocrine secretion) rather than the presence of vesicles that fuse with the apical membrane and undergo exocytosis (eccrine secretion). Pheromone-producing cells of the midgut do not represent a population of cells that are distinct from cells involved in digestion. All, or most, midgut cells of male I. pini and D. jeffreyi can secrete pheromones as well as digestive enzymes.
Nardi
J B
JB
Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, 320 Morrill Hall, 505 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. j-nardi@uiuc.edu
Young
A Gilg
AG
Ujhelyi
E
E
Tittiger
C
C
Lehane
M J
MJ
Blomquist
G J
GJ
D000818:Animals; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D022081:Cell Surface Extensions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004064:Digestive System / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004707:Endoderm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018871:Endoplasmic Reticulum, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D017368:Protein Prenylation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D012724:Sex Attractants; C036585:juvenile hormone III