Regulation of sex pheromone production in the male Nauphoeta cinerea cockroach: Role of brain extracts, corpora allata (CA), and juvenile hormone (JH)

The neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying pheromone regulation in cockroache s are unclear because of a lack of physiological and chemical data. The pre sent report describes experiments designed to determine the role of the bra in, corpora allata, and juvenile hormone III in the production of sex phero mone by male Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches. The levels of two sex pheromone components, i.e., acetoin and 2-methylthiazolidine, were measured by gas c hromatographic analysis of sternal gland extracts obtained from individual males, Allatectomy or decapitation performed up to 2 to 3 days after imagin al molt caused a decrease in sex phermone levels. Conversely decapitation o r allatectomy performed after 3 to 4 days post-eclosion had almost no effec t on sex pheromone levels. Injection of JHIII into allatectomized and decap itated males stimulated pheromone production while injection of brain extra ct had no effect, These results indicate that JHIII is involved in the diff erentiation of sternal glands and that regulation via pheromone biosynthesi s activating neuropeptide (PBAN) does not occur in N, cinerea cockroaches. Arch, Insect Biochem, Physiol, 40:165-172, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.