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The molecular basis of responses by insects to semiochemicals

Reference	BBS/E/C/00004344
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Linda Field
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	839,950
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2000
End date	31/03/2008
Duration	96 months

Abstract

Most insects respond to each other and to other organims within their environment. Many of these interactions are mediated by volatile chemicals which act as signals without having a direct physiological effect. Such semiochemicals may elicit a specific response in the same species, for example the sex, alarm and aggregation pheromones produced by many insects. Other signal chemicals are produced by one species and cause a response in another (allelochemicals), for example chemicals from host organisms which attract insect pest species and chemicals from non-hosts which are repellent. We are studying genes encoding some of the proteins involved in the interactions between insects and semiochemicals, including the synthase enzymes responsible for the production of the alarm pheromone e-b-farnesene which is used by aphids to warn of potential danger, and causes dispersion of aphid colonies. Such genes, introduced into crop plants, could offer novel control measures for pest insects by preventing colonisation and feeding. We are also cloning and characterising genes encoding insect odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs), which are involved in the initial binding of signal molecules within the antennae, and transfer of the odours to the neuronal receptors. There is growing evidence that these proteins confer some of the specificity of the insects' response to the signals and we have identified and cloned such genes encoding OBPs and CSPs from fruit flies, aphids and mosquitoes. This allows production and purification of recombinant proteins for ligand-binding studies. Such proteins may have a long term potential for use in biosensors to detect very low levels of volatile molecules.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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