title: Dolichodial: a new aphid sex pheromone component?
abstract: The sex pheromones of many aphid species from the subfamily Aphididae comprise a mixture of the iridoids (cyclopentanoids) (1R,4aS,7S,7aR)-nepetalactol and (4aS,7S,7aR)-nepetalactone. In this paper, we investigate whether other chemicals, in addition to nepetalactol and nepetalactone, are released from Dysaphis plantaginea (rosy apple aphid) oviparae as part of their sex pheromone. Four compounds present in an air entrainment sample collected from D. plantaginea oviparae feeding on apple (Malus silvestris c.v. Braburn) elicited electrophysiological responses from male D. plantaginea. Active peaks were tentatively identified by gas chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectrometry, with identification confirmed by peak enhancement with authentic compounds on GC columns of different polarities. The electroantennography-active chemicals were (1R,4aS,7S,7aR)-nepetalactol, (4aS,7S,7aR)-nepetalactone, (1S,2R,3S)-dolichodial, and phenylacetonitrile. (1S,2R,3S)-Dolichodial elicited a behavioral response from male D. plantaginea and naïve-mated female parasitoids, Aphidius ervi. This is the first report of electrophysiological and behavioral responses from any aphid morph to (1S,2R,3S)-dolichodial. Whether or not (1S,2R,3S)-dolichodial is a third component of the aphid sex pheromone is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Biological Chemistry Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK. Sarah.Dewhirst@BBSRC.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sarah Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Dewhirst
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birkett
authors.forename: Jean D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stewart-Jones
authors.forename: Lester J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wadhams
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Woodcock
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hardie
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pickett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000378:metabolism; D000081004:Cyclopentane Monoterpenes; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010571:Pest Control; D011753:Pyrones / Q000378:metabolism; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D000081004:Cyclopentane Monoterpenes; D003517:Cyclopentanes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D011753:Pyrones; D012724:Sex Attractants; C497341:nepetalactol; C115644:nepetalactone; C506675:dolichodial