Journal of Chemical Ecology (2007) 33, 2266-2280

John A. Edgar, Michael Boppré and Eva Kaufmann (2007)
Insect-synthesised retronecine ester alkaloids: precursors of the common arctiine (Lepidoptera) pheromone hydroxydanaidal
Journal of Chemical Ecology 33 (12), 2266-2280
Abstract: Many pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA)-adapted insects convert PAs sequestered from their larval host plants into 'insect-PAs' in which the acid components of the alkaloids are replaced by small, branched aliphatic 2-hydroxy acids of insect origin. It has been proposed that insect-PAs are precursors of the pheromone hydroxydanaidal in male Estigmene acrea moths, but it is not clear why they are specifically required or what the structural features or chemical properties are that make insect-PAs more suitable for conversion into hydroxydanaidal than superficially similar alkaloids of plant origin. Evidence is presented that insect-PAs are also precursors of hydroxydanaidal in the polyphageous arctiine, Creatonotos transiens, and a new biosynthetic pathway to hydroxydanaidal is proposed that has a mandatory requirement for insect-PAs as intermediates.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Michael Boppré

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Estigmene acrea