PATTERNS OF GENE DUPLICATION IN LEPIDOPTERAN PHEROMONE BINDING-PROTEINS

We have isolated and characterized cDNAs representing two distinct phe romone binding proteins (PBPs) from the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar. We use the L. dispar protein sequences, along with other published lep idopteran PBPs, to investigate the evolutionary relationships among ge nes within the PBP multigene family, Our analyses suggest that the pre sence of two distinct PBPs in genera representing separate moth superf amilies is the result of relatively recent, independent, gene duplicat ion events rather than a single, ancient, duplication, We discuss this result with respect to the biochemical diversification of moth PBPs.