Files and links (1)
Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the Oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta involves Δ8 desaturation
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vol.180, pp.1-13
2025
PMID: 40169039
Abstract
The Oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta is distributed throughout temperate regions and considered to be a pest in peach production and other high-value fruit crops in the rose family. Insecticide treatment has led to resistance development, but the use of sex pheromones in pest management has shown great promise. We investigated the pheromone biosynthesis pathway in G. molesta with the aim of elucidating pheromone evolution in the Olethreutinae subfamily of moths and harnessing pathway genes in biotechnological production of sex pheromone for use in pest management. In vivo labelling experiments suggested that an uncommon Δ8 fatty acyl desaturase is involved in sex pheromone biosynthesis. CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out of the highly expressed candidate desaturase gene Gmol_CPRQ almost completely blocked the production of Δ8 pheromone components in vivo. Heterologous expression of Gmol_CPRQ protein in yeast- or Sf9 insect cells, however, failed to demonstrate the expected Δ8 desaturase activity. Instead, Δ9 desaturase activity was observed. Co-expression in the yeast system of the electron donor, cytochrome b5, from G. molesta still produced only Δ9 desaturase activity. We suggest that Gmol_CPRQ is intimately involved in pheromone production in vivo, via an unknown reaction mechanism that may possibly involve another co-factor that is absent in the yeast and Sf9 expression systems, or depend on its subcellular site of activity. Solving this puzzle will shed further light on pheromone biosynthesis in the family Tortricidae and will be required for successful biotechnological production of fatty acids and pheromones requiring Δ8 desaturation.
Details
- Title
- Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the Oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta involves Δ8 desaturation
- Authors
- Marie Inger Dam (Corresponding Author) - Lund UniversityBao-Jian Ding - Lund UniversityKristina Brauburger - Lund UniversityHong-Lei Wang - Lund UniversityDaniel Powell - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for BioinnovationAstrid T. Groot - University of AmsterdamDavid G. Heckel - University of AmsterdamChrister Löfstedt - Lund University
- Publication details
- Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vol.180, pp.1-13
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104307
- ISSN
- 1879-0240; 0965-1748
- PMID
- 40169039
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
- Data Availability
- Data will be made available upon requiest by contact to the authors.
- Grant note
- This project has received funding from Horizon (2020) Framework Programme (760798), Jorgen Lindstrom Scholarship Fund, Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas (2021-00933), Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF21OC0071628), Universiteit van Amsterdam and Max-Planck- Gesellschaft.
- Organisation Unit
- Office of Research; Centre for Bioinnovation
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991121752402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
1 File views/ downloads
13 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Entomology
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites