Multi-Functional Desaturases in Two Spodoptera Moths with ∆11 and ∆12 Desaturation Activities

• Published in: Journal of chemical ecology Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 378 - 387
• Main Authors: Xia, Yi-Han, Zhang, Ya-Nan, Ding, Bao-Jian, Wang, Hong-Lei, Löfstedt, Christer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.04.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 11 desaturation; 12 desaturation; Acetic acid; Agriculture; Biochemistry; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biokemi och molekylärbiologi; Biologi; Biological Microscopy; Biological Sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Butterflies & moths; Desaturase; Desaturation; Ecology; Entomology; Enzymes; Experiments; Fatty acids; Females; Gene expression; Genes; Homology; In vivo methods and tests; Labeling; Life Sciences; Natural Sciences; Naturvetenskap; Palmitic acid; Pheromone biosynthesis; Pheromone gland; Pheromones; Sex pheromone; Spodoptera exigua; Spodoptera litura; Substrates; Yeast; Yeasts; 12 desaturation; Pheromone biosynthesis; 11 desaturation; Spodoptera litura; Spodoptera exigua
• ISSN: 0098-0331; 1573-1561; 1573-1561
• DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01067-3

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua , uses ( Z , E )-9,12-tetradecadienyl acetate as the major component of its sex pheromone. Previous isotope-labeling experiments demonstrated an unusual ∆12 desaturase activity involved in the biosynthesis of this compound; however, the putative ∆12 desaturase gene has not been reported to date. In the present study, we confirmed this ∆12 desaturation pathway by in vivo labeling experiments, and characterized candidate desaturase genes in a yeast heterologous expression system. We demonstrated that a pheromone gland-specific desaturase, SexiDes5, uses palmitic acid and the subsequently chain-shortened product ( Z )-9-tetradecenoic acid as substrates to produce ( Z )-11-hexadecenoic and ( Z , E )-9,12-tetradecadienoic acids, respectively. In addition, the homologous desaturase SlitDes5 from the congeneric Spodoptera litura had analogous functions.