Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa by delta-13 desaturation

In vivo treatments of female sex pheromone glands of the processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa, with mass-labeled fatty acids showed that (Z)-13-hexadecen-11-ynyl acetate, the main sex pheromone component, is biosynthesized from palmitic acid by the combined action of delta-11 and delta-13 desaturases. The involvement of this unusual delta-13 has been proven by application of 16,16,16-2H3] 1,2-13C2]-hexadecanoic acid to the glands with a resultant incorporation of all labeled atoms into the pheromone and each one of the corresponding intermediates. These results seem to exclude alternative biosynthetic pathways, such as chain shortening and elongation combined with delta-11 desaturation. The delta-11 desaturase responsible for the formation of the triple bond in both the 11-hexadecynoyl and (Z)-13-hexadecen-11-ynoyl intermediates is also an unusual enzyme not previously reported in lepidopteran sex pheromone biosynthesis.