Abstract
AbstractCuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) cover the cuticle of insects and serve as desiccation barrier and as semiochemicals. While the main enzymatic steps of CHC biosynthesis are well understood, few of the underlying genes have been identified. Here we show how exploitation of intrasexual CHC dimorphism in a mason wasp, Odynerus spinipes, in combination with whole-genome sequencing and comparative transcriptomics facilitated identification of such genes. RNAi-mediated knockdown of twelve candidate gene orthologs in the honey bee, Apis mellifera, confirmed nine genes impacting CHC profile composition. Most of them have predicted functions consistent with current knowledge of CHC metabolism. However, we found first-time evidence for a fatty acid amide hydrolase also influencing CHC profile composition. In situ hybridization experiments furthermore suggest trophocytes participating in CHC biosynthesis. Our results set the base for experimental CHC profile manipulation in Hymenoptera and imply that the evolutionary origin of CHC biosynthesis predates the arthropods’ colonization of land.
Funder
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Medicine (miscellaneous)
Reference75 articles.
1. Lockey, K. H. Lipids of the insect cuticle: origin, composition and function. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B: Comp. Biochem. 89, 595–645 (1988).
2. Blomquist, G. J. & Bagnères, A. G. Insect hydrocarbons: biology, biochemistry, and chemical ecology. (Cambridge University Press, 2010).
3. Nelson, D. R. & Blomquist, G. J. Insect waxes. in Waxes: Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Functions (Hamilton, R. J. ed.). 1-90 (Oily Press, 1995).
4. Makki, R., Cinnamon, E. & Gould, A. P. The development and functions of oenocytes. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 59, 405–425 (2014).
5. Juarez, P., Chase, J. & Blomquist, G. J. A microsomal fatty acid synthetase from the integument of Blattella germanica synthesizes methyl-branched fatty acids, precursors to hydrocarbon and contact sex pheromone. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 293, 333–341 (1992).
Cited by
5 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献