A diterpene synthase from the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis produces the pheromone sobralene

Ducker, Charles, Baines, Cameron, Guy, Jennifer, Euzébio Goulart Santana, Antônio, Pickett, John A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1008-6595 and Oldham, Neil J. 2024. A diterpene synthase from the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis produces the pheromone sobralene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121 (12) , e2322453121. 10.1073/pnas.2322453121 Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Terpenes are widely used in nature for chemical communication, but our understanding of how these structurally diverse natural products are produced by insects is only now beginning to emerge. Males of the sandfly, Lutzomyia longipalpis, use terpene pheromones to lure females and other males to mating sites. This insect attracts considerable attention due to its role as a vector for the Leishmania parasite, which causes the neglected tropical disease leishmaniasis. In this study, a diterpene synthase that produces the pheromone component sobralene is identified, heterologously expressed and functionally characterized. This represents identification of a terpene synthase (TPS) from Lutzomyia and shows that insects are capable of biosynthesizing diterpenes. It offers the potential for sustainable production of this compound through biocatalysis.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Chemistry
Publisher:	National Academy of Sciences
ISSN:	0027-8424
Funders:	BBSRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	13 March 2024
Date of Acceptance:	6 March 2024
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2024 06:05
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/167207

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