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Sex pheromone biosynthesis of (E, E)-8,10-dodecadienol in codling moth Cydia pomonella involves E9 desaturation

Löfstedt, Christer LU and Bengtsson, Marie (1988) In Journal of Chemical Ecology 14(3). p.903-915
Abstract

Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the codling moth Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera; Tortricidae) was studied by topical application of deuterated fatty acids in DMSO to pheromone glands. The incorporation of deuterium label into fatty acids and alcohols in the pheromone gland was monitored by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode. Dodecanol, (E)-9-dodecenol, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, tetradecanol, and hexadecanol were found in gland extracts. The application of [12,12,12-2H3]dodecanoic acid resulted in labeled dodecanol, (E)-9-dodecenol, and (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, as well as the corresponding labeled acids. No label was incorporated into tetradecanol... (More)

Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the codling moth Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera; Tortricidae) was studied by topical application of deuterated fatty acids in DMSO to pheromone glands. The incorporation of deuterium label into fatty acids and alcohols in the pheromone gland was monitored by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode. Dodecanol, (E)-9-dodecenol, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, tetradecanol, and hexadecanol were found in gland extracts. The application of [12,12,12-2H3]dodecanoic acid resulted in labeled dodecanol, (E)-9-dodecenol, and (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, as well as the corresponding labeled acids. No label was incorporated into tetradecanol or hexadecanol or any acid with more than 12 carbon atoms. The application of labeled tetradecanoic or hexadecanoic acid introduced label not only into the 12-carbon alcohols, but also into tetradecanol, or tetradecanol and hexadecanol, respectively. The application of (E)-[11, 11,12,12,12,-2H5]9-dodecen-oic acid, whose facile synthesis is described, resulted in labeled (E)-9-do-decenol and (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol. The (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol so produced was characterized by an ion at m/z 186, equivalent to [M]+ of a dienol labeled with four deuterons. Thus, one deuterium label is lost when the labeled (E)-9-monoene is converted to the (E,E)-8,10-diene. We conclude that (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol is synthesized by chain shortening (β-oxidation) of palmitic acid to dodecanoic acid, followed by an unusual E9 desaturation and subsequent conversion of this intermediate into the conjugated precursor, which is finally reduced to the pheromone alcohol. The evolutionary significance of E9 desaturation being responsible for pheromone production in an Olethreutinae species is discussed.

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keywords
(E)-9-dodecenoic acid, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, biosynthesis, capillary gas chromatography, Cydia pomonella, deuterium, E9 desaturation, labeled precursors, Lepidoptera, palmitic acid, pheromone, Tortricidae
in
Journal of Chemical Ecology
volume
14
issue
3
pages
903 - 915
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:0000267135
ISSN
0098-0331
DOI
10.1007/BF01018782
project
Evolutionary mechanisms of pheromone divergence in Lepidoptera
language
English
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yes
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f2f87d96-52fa-4cdc-bc93-6441c108c76a
date added to LUP
2020-07-23 14:03:08
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2021-05-09 04:37:18
@article{f2f87d96-52fa-4cdc-bc93-6441c108c76a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the codling moth Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera; Tortricidae) was studied by topical application of deuterated fatty acids in DMSO to pheromone glands. The incorporation of deuterium label into fatty acids and alcohols in the pheromone gland was monitored by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode. Dodecanol, (E)-9-dodecenol, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, tetradecanol, and hexadecanol were found in gland extracts. The application of [12,12,12-<sup>2</sup>H<sub>3</sub>]dodecanoic acid resulted in labeled dodecanol, (E)-9-dodecenol, and (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol, as well as the corresponding labeled acids. No label was incorporated into tetradecanol or hexadecanol or any acid with more than 12 carbon atoms. The application of labeled tetradecanoic or hexadecanoic acid introduced label not only into the 12-carbon alcohols, but also into tetradecanol, or tetradecanol and hexadecanol, respectively. The application of (E)-[11, 11,12,12,12,-<sup>2</sup>H<sub>5</sub>]9-dodecen-oic acid, whose facile synthesis is described, resulted in labeled (E)-9-do-decenol and (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol. The (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol so produced was characterized by an ion at m/z 186, equivalent to [M]<sup>+</sup> of a dienol labeled with four deuterons. Thus, one deuterium label is lost when the labeled (E)-9-monoene is converted to the (E,E)-8,10-diene. We conclude that (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol is synthesized by chain shortening (β-oxidation) of palmitic acid to dodecanoic acid, followed by an unusual E9 desaturation and subsequent conversion of this intermediate into the conjugated precursor, which is finally reduced to the pheromone alcohol. The evolutionary significance of E9 desaturation being responsible for pheromone production in an Olethreutinae species is discussed.</p>}},
  author       = {{Löfstedt, Christer and Bengtsson, Marie}},
  issn         = {{0098-0331}},
  keywords     = {{(E)-9-dodecenoic acid; (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienol; biosynthesis; capillary gas chromatography; Cydia pomonella; deuterium; E9 desaturation; labeled precursors; Lepidoptera; palmitic acid; pheromone; Tortricidae}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{903--915}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Chemical Ecology}},
  title        = {{Sex pheromone biosynthesis of (E, E)-8,10-dodecadienol in codling moth Cydia pomonella involves E9 desaturation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01018782}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/BF01018782}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{1988}},
}