Genetic variation in the strongly canalized sex pheromone communication system of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis hubner (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae)

Summary, in English

The major difference in pheromone production between the so-called E and Z strains of the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis is controlled by two alleles at a single autosomal locus. E-strain females produce an (E)-11- tetradecenyl acetate pheromone with 1-3% of the Z isomer, whereas Z-strain females produce the opposite blend. In laboratory-reared insects we found that F₁ females produced, on average, a 71:29 E/Z ratio, but the distribution was clearly bimodal. The variability in pheromone blend produced by heterozygous females could be explained by the existence of two different alleles in the Z strain which in combination with the E-strain allele for the major production locus cause the production of a component mixture either high or low in the E isomer. In addition, evidence was found for an independently inherited factor, existing in the E-strain, with a dominant effect on the amount of E isomer produced by females homozygous for Z- alleles at the major production locus. Thus, the low variability normally found in the pheromone mixture produced by O. nubilalis and other moth females may, by canalization, hide a considerable amount of underlying genetic variation.

• Author: Junwei Zhu; Christer Löfstedt; Bengt O. Bengtsson
• Department/s: Functional zoology; Molecular Cell Biology; Pheromone Group
• Publishing year: 1996-10-09
• Language: English
• Pages: 757-766
• Publication/Series: Genetics
• Volume: 144
• Issue: 2
• Links: https://www.genetics.org/content/144/2/757
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Genetics Society of America
• Topic: Genetics
• Status: Published
• Project: Evolutionary mechanisms of pheromone divergence in Lepidoptera
• Research group: Pheromone Group
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0016-6731