title: Characterisation of Acetyl-CoA Thiolase: The First Enzyme in the Biosynthesis of Terpenic Sex Pheromone Components in the Labial Gland of Bombus terrestris.
abstract: Buff-tailed bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, use a male sex pheromone for premating communication. Its main component is a sesquiterpene, 2,3-dihydrofarnesol. This paper reports the isolation of a thiolase (acetyl-CoA thiolase, AACT_BT), the first enzyme involved in the biosynthetic pathway leading to formation of isoprenoids in the B. terrestris male sex pheromone. Characterisation of AACT_BT might contribute to a better understanding of pheromonogenesis in the labial gland of B. terrestris males. The protein was purified to apparent homogeneity by column chromatography with subsequent stepwise treatment. AACT_BT showed optimum acetyltransferase activity at pH 7.1 and was strongly inhibited by iodoacetamide. The enzyme migrated as a band with an apparent mass of 42.9 kDa on SDS-PAGE. MS analysis of an AACT_BT tryptic digest revealed high homology to representatives of the thiolase family. AACT_BT has 96 % amino acid sequence identity with the previously reported Bombus impatiens thiolase.
authors: Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, 166 10 Prague 6 (Czech Republic).
authors: Jana
authors: J
authors: Brabcová
authors: Zuzana
authors: Z
authors: Demianová
authors: Jiří
authors: J
authors: Kindl
authors: Iva
authors: I
authors: Pichová
authors: Irena
authors: I
authors: Valterová
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Zarevúcka
mesh_terms: D000101:Acetyl-CoA C-Acetyltransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000201:enzymology*; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D012724:Sex Attractants; D013729:Terpenes; D000101:Acetyl-CoA C-Acetyltransferase
keywords: Bombus terrestris; acetyl-CoA thiolase; biosynthesis; labial gland; pheromones; terpenoids