The Differential Expression of Mevalonate Pathway Genes in the Gut of the Bark Beetle (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Is Unrelated to the de Novo Synthesis of Terpenoid Pheromones.

Bark beetles commonly produce de novo terpenoid pheromones using precursors synthesized through the mevalonate pathway. This process is regulated by Juvenile Hormone III (JH III). In this work, the expression levels of mevalonate pathway genes were quantified after phloem feeding-to induce the endogenous synthesis of JH III-and after the topical application of a JH III solution.

Time-Course of CYP450 Genes Expression From Dendroctonus rhizophagus (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) During Early Hours of Drilling Bark and Settling Into the Host Tree.

Dendroctonus bark beetles (Scolytinae) are one of the most important disturbance agents of coniferous forests in North and Central America. These beetles spend their lives almost entirely under the tree bark, and their survival and reproductive success depend on their ability to overcome the toxic effect of the trees' oleoresin. The cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are associated with the detoxification process of xenobiotics, as well as other physiological processes.