title: Structure and juvenile hormone-mediated regulation of the HMG-CoA reductase gene from the Jeffrey pine beetle, Dendroctonus jeffreyi.
abstract: In several pine bark beetle species, juvenile hormone (JH) III regulated 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-R) gene expression has an important role in monoterpenoid pheromone production in males. We investigated the structure and regulated expression of the HMG-R gene (HMG-R) in the Jeffrey pine beetle, Dendroctonus jeffreyi. cDNA and genomic sequences were recovered using a combination of library screening and PCR. The transcribed portion of the gene spans 9.8 kb and is interrupted by 13 introns. When compared to vertebrate HMG-Rs, the distribution of intron sites suggests a functional role for those in the 5' untranslated region and membrane anchor domains. Northern blots show that topically applied JH III stimulates HMG-R expression up to 30-fold in male D. jeffreyi, compared to untreated insects, in both a dose- and time-dependent manner. There was no increase in expression levels in similarly treated female insects. The expression pattern is consistent with the production of monoterpenoid pheromone components in male D. jeffreyi, and suggests the utility of the system as a new tool for studying the mechanism of JH action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Mail Stop 330, University of Nevada, Reno 89557, USA. crt@unr.edu
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tittiger
authors.forename: Lana S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Barkawi
authors.forename: Cody S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bengoa
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Blomquist
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Seybold
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000201:enzymology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000235:genetics; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns; D007605:Juvenile Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D007605:Juvenile Hormones; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C036585:juvenile hormone III; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases