Interaction of PBAN with Biosynthetic Enzymes

Abstract

It has been well-documented that PBANs (pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptides) and PBAN-like compounds stimulate pheromone production in many moth species. The pheromone biosynthetic pathways have been elucidated for many of these species (Bjostad et al. 1987), and so it has been possible to investigate the pathway with respect to stimulation by PBAN. The biosynthetic pathways in most of the moth species in which PBAN is active involve the synthesis of saturated fatty acids via the fatty acid synthesis enzymes, and then a series of specific enzymes, including unique desaturases, limited chain-shortening enzymes, reductases, acetyltransferases, and oxidases. PBAN has been found to interact with different aspects of this pathway in different species, as discussed in this chapter, but examples discussed here all involve an effect on or before the first step of fatty acid synthesis.