P. Ivarsson et G. Birgersson, REGULATION AND BIOSYNTHESIS OF PHEROMONE COMPONENTS IN THE DOUBLE SPINED BARK BEETLE IPS DUPLICATUS (COLEOPTERA, SCOLYTIDAE), Journal of insect physiology, 41(10), 1995, pp. 843-849
The double spined bark beetle, Ips duplicatus, uses ipsdienol and E-my
rcenol in a 5:1 ratio for its aggregation pheromone (Byers et al., 199
0; Schlyter et al., 1992), The biosynthesis and regulation of these ph
eromone components were studied by using both an enzyme inhibitor, com
pactin, that blocks the terpene biosynthesis, and a juvenile hormone a
nalogue, methoprene, which stimulates pheromone production, The beetle
s were also exposed to myrcene, a proposed precursor of the pheromone
components, present in the host tree of the beetles, Norway spruce [Pi
cea abies (L.) Karst.]. To study the regulation of pheromone synthesis
we used the juvenile hormone analogue, methoprene and Hez-PBAN (Helic
overpa tea pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide). Methoprene
(25 mu g/beetle) stimulated pheromone production in the beetles to le
vels typical for a natural attack on their host tree, This production
was accompanied by high levels of 2-phenylethanol, found only in small
amounts in wild beetles, We found no evidence that Hez-PBAN stimulate
s pheromone production in I. duplicatus, neither did it modulate the p
roduction of 2-phenylethanol, Both ipsdienol and E-myrcenol were found
to be produced de novo and not from myrcene, a hypothesized precursor
present in the host tree resin.