Conservation of the chemoreceptors mediating male- and female-produced sex pheromones in longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Sunday, November 10, 2024

11:00 AM – 11:12 AM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 225 A, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

Robert F. Mitchell (he/him/his)

Associate Professor
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania

Co-Author(s)

KH

Kayla M. Hefner

Research Assistant
University of Wisconsin
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
CK

Cody M. Kessler

University of Wisconsin
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
JY

Jothi K. Yuvaraj

Lund University
Lund, Skane Lan, Sweden
TS

Terrence P. Sylvester

Postdoctoral fellow
University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
SH

Stephanie Haddad

University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
RA

Rich H. Adams

Assistant Professor of Agricultural Statistics
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
MA

Martin N. Andersson

Lund University
Lund, Skane Lan, Sweden
DM

Duane D. McKenna

Professor
University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee

The long-range sex pheromones of longhorned beetles (cerambycids) fall under two paradigms: those produced by males, which are released in large volumes and aggregate both sexes; and those produced by females, which are released sparingly and attract only males. Most sex pheromones known from cerambycids are produced by males, but at least two subfamilies (Lepturinae and Prioninae) appear to rely solely on female-produced sex pheromones. We have sequenced the chemoreceptors from males and females of four species within these subfamilies (Prioninae: Prionus californicus and Tragosoma soror; Lepturinae: Desmocerus palliatus and Ortholeptura valida) to better understand the reception and evolution of female-produced sex pheromones in cerambycids. Our analysis of antennal gene expression and initial functional characterization of the candidate genes suggest that the chemoreceptors sensitive to female-produced sex pheromones descend from the same lineages as pheromone receptors in species with male-produced pheromones.