ABSTRACT

Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 170 Quantitative Genetic Studies .......................................................................................................... 171

Female Pheromones .................................................................................................................. 171 Male Response .......................................................................................................................... 173

Molecular and Biochemical Studies of Pheromone Blends ........................................................... 173 Biochemical Analyses of Pheromone Synthesis ....................................................................... 173 What We Know and Do Not Know about Enzymes and Genes Involved in Pheromone Biosynthesis ........................................................................................................... 173

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase ..................................................................................................... 175 Fatty Acid Synthase .............................................................................................................. 175 Chain-Shortening Enzymes .................................................................................................. 175 Desaturases ........................................................................................................................... 175 Fatty Acid Reductase ............................................................................................................ 176 Aldehyde Reductase ............................................................................................................. 176 Alcohol Oxidase ................................................................................................................... 177 Acetyltransferase .................................................................................................................. 177 Acetate Esterase ................................................................................................................... 177

Molecular and Biochemical Analysis of Pheromone Reception .................................................... 177 Pheromone Receptor Proteins ................................................................................................... 178 Pheromone Binding Proteins..................................................................................................... 181 Pheromone Degrading Enzymes ............................................................................................... 181 Interactions among PRP, PBP, and PDE ................................................................................... 183 Processing of Signals ................................................................................................................ 183

Future Directions ........................................................................................................................... 184 “Candidate Gene” versus “Genomic Network” Hypotheses..................................................... 184 Molecular Analysis of Past Selection on Pheromone Production and Response ...................... 184 Is the Genetic Architecture of Differences in Pheromone Blends and Responses the Same within and among Species? ....................................................................................................... 186 Coupling Molecular and Genetic Analyses with Lab and Field Studies of Behavior ............... 186

Why study sexual communication in Lepidoptera? In night-ying moths, highly specic, long distance, pheromonal communication is essential for

mating success and reproductive isolation of species. Emission of two or more volatile compounds by females, in precise ratios, is typically required to attract conspecic males (e.g., Cardé and Haynes 2004). Although there are thousands of moth species with unique pheromone blends (e.g., Cork and Lobos 2003; Witzgall et al. 2004; El-Sayed 2008), the evolutionary processes that resulted in this diversity of sexual communication signals and species are not understood.