title: Transport of a hydrophobic biosynthetic precursor by lipophorin in the hemolymph of a geometrid female moth which secretes an epoxyalkenyl sex pheromone.
abstract: Previous experiments with a geometrid species, Ascotis selenaria cretacea, have suggested that a pheromonal C19 3,4-epoxy-6,9-diene is biosynthesized from the corresponding 3,6,9-triene produced outside a pheromone gland and transported to it via hemolymph after association with lipophorin. In order to clarify this transport, high-density lipophorin (HDLp) in the female moths showing two bands (apoLp I with ca. 250 kDa and apoLp II with ca. 80 kDa) on an SDS-PAGE was purified by KBr equilibrium density-gradient ultracentrifugation, and the association of the triene was confirmed by GC-MS analysis of a solvent extract from the isolated protein. Next, the role of HDLp was revealed by a topical application of the deuterated trienyl precursor to the abdomens of the females. The trienyl precursor was associated with HDLp. In their pheromone glands, the triene and the deuterated epoxy pheromone were detected, indicating movement of the triene via the hemolymph. Experiments with male moths of A. s. cretacea and female moths of Bombyx mori showed the same association of HDLp with the triene topically applied. This result suggested that the adult females of A. s. cretacea did not develop HDLp specialized in the triene transport. Furthermore, the topical application of a mixture including the trienyl precursor and two other related hydrocarbons showed equal amounts of association by HDLp but selective delivery of the precursor to pheromone glands in the A. s. cretacea females.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tabunoki
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ando
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000378:metabolism*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009036:Moths / Q000378:metabolism*; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D012724:Sex Attractants; C032830:lipophorin