Uptake of the sex pheromone H-bombykol and related compounds by male and female Bombyx antennae

The uptake of ³H-bombykol and related compounds was investigated on the antennae of the silkmoth Bombyx mori with elution and liquid scintillation techniques. The pheromone uptake is a sum of several time-dependent processes and more or less susceptible against pretreatment with organic solvents, buffers and SH-inhibitors. Before and after enzymatic conversion the pheromone molecules are mainly adsorbed non-covalently (99 per cent) onto micromolecular structures.