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Influence of carbon sources on the production of the termite trail-following substance byGloeophyllum trabeum

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Abstract

Efforts were made to study the effects of various carbon sources on the production of the trail-following substance (Z, Z, E)-3,6,8-dodecatrien-1-ol in the brown-rot fungusGloeophyllum trabeum (=Lenzites trabea). The substance is found in a southern subterranean termite,Reticulitermes virginicus, and is known to function as the trail-following pheromone. The fungus could not produce it when grown on a low potato-dextrose medium. On addition of several simple carbon sources, however, the fungus actively produced the substance. Ethylene glycol, glyceraldehyde, and xylose yielded the highest production of the substance. Using 1,2-14C-ethylene glycol as a tracer, we demonstrated that the given carbon source was incorporated into the trail-following substance by the fungus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin

    F. Matsumura, K. Nishimoto, T. Ikeda & H. C. Coppel

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  1. F. Matsumura
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  2. K. Nishimoto
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  3. T. Ikeda
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  4. H. C. Coppel
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Matsumura, F., Nishimoto, K., Ikeda, T. et al. Influence of carbon sources on the production of the termite trail-following substance byGloeophyllum trabeum . J Chem Ecol 2, 299–305 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988279

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988279

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