Regulation of sex pheromone biosynthesis in three plusiinae moths: Macdunnoughia confusa, Anadevidia peponis, and Chrysodeixis eriosoma.

Virgin females of M. confusa, A. peponis, and C. eriosoma secrete (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate as a common main pheromone component. Their pheromone titers decreased after decapitation, and increased in the decapitated females after injection of a synthetic hormone, pheromone biosynthetic activating neuropeptide (PBAN) of Bombyx mori. In addition, an extract of brain-subesophageal ganglion complexes of each Plusiinae species activated pheromone biosynthesis in decapitated females of not only the corresponding species, but also that of Mamestra brassicae. These results indicate that pheromone biosynthesis of the three Plusiinae species is also controlled by a PBAN-like substance. However, the Plusiinae females exceptionally contained remarkable amounts of the pheromone even 1 day after decapitation. Since it has been reported that pheromones completely disappear at least 1 day after decapitation in females of many other lepdidoptran species including B. mori and M. brassicae, a different mechanism is likely regarding the regulation of the studied Plusiinae pheromone biosynthesis. Furthermore, an incorporation experiment with a labeled pheromone precursor, D9-(Z)-7-dodecenoic acid, showed that moderate biosynthesis still proceeded in the pheromone glands of M. confusa females 1 day after decapitation, providing an evidence why complete disappearance of the pheromone was not observed in the females which otherwise lacked a source of the pheromonotropic neuropeptide.