Allelic variation in a fatty-acyl reductase gene causes divergence in moth sex pheromones

Jean-Marc Lassance (), Astrid T. Groot, Marjorie A. Liénard, Binu Antony, Christin Borgwardt, Fredrik Andersson, Erik Hedenström, David G. Heckel and Christer Löfstedt ()
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Jean-Marc Lassance: Lund University
Astrid T. Groot: Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
Marjorie A. Liénard: Lund University
Binu Antony: Lund University
Christin Borgwardt: Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
Fredrik Andersson: Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University
Erik Hedenström: Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University
David G. Heckel: Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
Christer Löfstedt: Lund University

Nature, 2010, vol. 466, issue 7305, 486-489

Abstract: Sex pheromones: grounds for separation The European corn borer moth has become a model system for the study of the genetics of sexual communication and the role of sexual signals in speciation. This is in part because it consists of two sex pheromone races that use different ratios of the cis- and trans-isomers of acetate pheromone components, leading to strong reproductive isolation — a possible first step towards speciation. The genetic control of female pheromone production and male behavioural responses is proving difficult to unravel, but now a gene involved in pheromone-race difference has been identified. Variation in a fatty-acyl reductase gene essential for pheromone biosynthesis accounts for the phenotypic variation in female pheromone production, leading to race-specific signals. This shows that accumulation of substitutions in the coding region of a single enzyme can produce differences in the pheromone blend that are substantial enough to lead to reproductive isolation.

Date: 2010
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DOI: 10.1038/nature09058

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