BIOSYNTHETIC-PATHWAY FOR PRODUCING THE SEX-PHEROMONE COMPONENT (Z,E)-9,12-TETRADECADIENYL ACETATE IN MOTHS INVOLVES A DELTA-12 DESATURASE

Sex pheromones are used by insects as a form of chemical communication for the purpose of attracting conspecific mates. Female moths Cadra c autella and Spodoptera exigua use the diene (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadienyl acetate as the major pheromone component. Biosynthesis of this pherom one component was demonstrated to occur through Delta 11 desaturation of hexadecanoic acid (palmitate) to produce (Z)-11-hexadecenoic acid w hich is then chain-shortened to (Z)-9-tetradecenoic acid. A unique Del ta 12 desaturase uses the (Z)-9-tetradecenoic acid to produce (Z,E)-9, 12-tetradecenoic acid which is reduced and acetylated to form the acet ate ester pheromone component. Both moths also use a pheromonotropic p eptide to stimulate pheromone biosynthesis.