›› 2018, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (10): 1222-1236.doi: 10.16380/j.kcxb.2018.10.012

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Biosynthesis of isoprenoid aggregation pheromones in bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)  

FANG Jia-Xing, ZHANG Su-Fang, LIU Fu, ZHANG Zhen, KONG Xiang-Bo*   

  1. (Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China)
  • Online:2018-10-20 Published:2018-10-20

Abstract:   The bark beetles (Scolytidae) are important wood boring pests, which can severely damage the water and nutrient transport systems of their hosts and cause significant economic loss to the damaged forest in a relatively short time. The aggregation pheromones of bark beetles play an important role in the process of their mass attack. Many aggregation pheromone components of bark beetles have been identified and applied successfully to manage and control bark beetle outbreak in the field. Among them, isoprenoid aggregation pheromones are the most important ones which include several kinds of components, such as ipsenol, ipsdienol, verbenol and their derivatives. In this article, in order to clarify the biosynthesis and regulation mechanism of isoprenoid aggregation pheromones of bark beetles in genera Ips and Dendroctonus, we focused on such six aspects as biosynthesis precursors, biosynthesis sites, biosynthesis pathway, feeding and JHШ regulation, relationships of microbes and biosynthesis, and the future research prospects. Firstly, we mainly introduced the de novo biosynthesis pathway of ipsdienol via mevalonate pathway and the transformation process of host volatile alpha-pinene to verbenol. Then, we summarized and elaborated the responses of key enzymes and genes in the biosynthesis pathway of juvenile hormone Ш and feeding treatments as well as the effects of gut microbes and associated fungi in bark beetles on aggregation pheromone biosynthesis. Finally, we put forward some research expectations concerning biosynthesis of isoprenoid aggregation pheromones in bark beetles. These information provide a theoretical basis for developing and applying aggregation pheromones to control bark beetles.

Key words: Bark beetles, Ips; Dendroctonus, aggregation pheromones, ipsdienol, verbenol; biosynthesis