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Evolution, Function and Chemical Diversity of Queen Pheromones in Social Insects
Kašparová, Kateřina ; Hanus, Robert (advisor) ; Urbanová, Klára (referee)
Societies of eusocial insects are probably the most complex biological systems. Repeated independent evolution of eusocial organization in multiple insect lineages has typically led to an unprecedented ecological success of these insects. However, beside coordinated work activities and altruism, the eusocial societies are also characterized by a potential for conflict over reproduction, leading to the evolution of mechanisms that prevent this conflict and ensure the colony homeostasis. Though it has long been known that this role is mediated by Queen Pheromones, there is still an important knowledge gap between our understanding of the biological role of Queen Pheromones and their chemical identity, biosynthesis and perception. Although the first Queen Pheromone has been identified in the early 1960s, more intensive research in this area is the matter of the last decade. The best known Queen Pheromone is that of the honey bee, contrasting with the knowledge on other social Hymenoptera and termites. Elucidating the chemical nature of Queen Pheromones could help to a better understanding of the evolution of social insects, their life cycle and community organization. This thesis summarizes the knowledge about the evolution and chemistry of Queen Pheromones in social insects.
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Regulation of insect pheromone biosynthesis
Halmová, Martina ; Pichová, Iva (advisor) ; Valterová, Irena (referee)
Pheromones are compounds emitted by insects and vertebrates that specifically modulate the behaviour of the same species. Based on the role, pheromones are classified into different types such as releaser pheromones, primer pheromones, sex pheromones, aggregation pheromones, alarm pheromones and trail pheromones. Insect pheromones are volatile substances consisting mostly of alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, aromatic compounds and isoprenoids. Pheromone biosynthesis comprises fatty acid and isoprenoid metabolic pathways. Pheromone biosynthesis must be precisely regulated since the pheromone blend consists of a mixture of compounds with defined ratios and chemical structures. The main aim of this thesis is to summarize the published information about insect pheromone biosynthesis and regulation with a focus on pheromones involved in sexual communication. Attention will also be paid to the biotechnological potential of pheromones in targeted pest management with the utilisation of enzymes present in the biosynthesis of pheromones.
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Evolution of sensitivity to trail-following pheromones in termites
Száková, Barbora ; Hanus, Robert (advisor) ; Sillam-Dussès, David (referee)
Eusocial insects evolved a sophisticated intraspecific communication, dominated by chemical signals, the pheromones. Termites (Isoptera) represent an excellent example in this respect, having a wide range of pheromones, such as trail-following, sex-pairing, alarm, and other pheromones. It is especially the former category of pheromones which is ubiquitous in termites and which was chemically characterized in many taxa across termite phylogeny. This allowed phylogenetic reconstruction of the chemical diversity of trail- following pheromones and calls for searching of evolutionary patterns of the sensitivity to these pheromones in various lineages across the tree of life, including the search for evolutionary scenario of the emergence of specific olfactory receptor proteins. In most species, the trail-following pheromones are represented by mono-, di- and tri-unsaturated fatty alcohols (3Z)-dodec-3-en-1-ol (DE), (3Z,6Z)-dodeca-3,6-dien-1-ol (DDE), and (3Z,6Z,8E)-dodeca-3,6,8-trien-1-ol (DTE). My overall aim in this thesis was to contribute to the understanding of the evolution of olfactory detection of C12 fatty alcohol trail-following pheromones in termites. More specifically, my question was whether evolutionarily more basal clades (Kalotermes flavicollis and Neotermes cubanus from the family...
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Zhodnocení atraktivity syntetických feromonů od různých výrobců pro vybrané druhy obalečů (Tortricidae)
Jakubíková, Klára
Monitoring of tortricid species Cydia pomonella, Grapholita molesta, G. funebrana, G. janthinana, G. lobarzewskii, and Pandemis heparana was executed in the cadastre of Zlámanec (Zlín region) from year 2013 to 2015. Investigated areas were orchards, shrubbery biotopes and forest edges. Pheromones distributed by different producers were compared too. Data of known pests was equal as data from previous researches. Numbers of G. molesta declined within a few years and the highest abundance of this species was registered in orchards. G. janthinana was found in shrubberies, whereas the higher occurrence of G. lobarzewskii was executed in orchards. P. heparana was not caught. 20 non-target species of Tortricidae was also registered. Cacoecimorpha pronubana was caught for the first time in outdoor biotopes of the Czech Republic, and Oegoconia novimundi was caught in unusually high numbers of specimens. Comparison of pheromones showed that the lures for G. funebrana by Pherobank were more efficient, whereas those for G. molesta by Propher s.r.o. functioned better.
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Differentiation of semiochemicals among lineages of the bed bug (Cimex lectularius)
Pilařová, Kateřina ; Balvín, Ondřej (advisor) ; Kateřina, Kateřina (referee)
Lineages of the common bedbug Cimex lectularius associated with bats and humans separated from each other tens or hundreds of thousands years ago. Currently, they are genetically isolated and some degree of postcopulatory reproduction barrier has been shown. This thesis aims to test the possible mechanisms of precopulatory isolation. Possible differences of semiochemicals between the host lineages were examined by experiments in arenas (four shelters, two unconditioned, one conditioned by scent of specific lineage and one by scent of non-specific lineage, put together in one arena, to which one bedbug male was introduced every time). For the experiment, six breeds (three from bat lineage and three from human lineage) which originated from different parts of Czech Republic were used.
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Low-labour demanding technological procedure of monitoring of stored product beetles using traps with multi-component attractant
Stejskal, Václav ; Aulický, Radek
The aim of the work was to provide pest control, agricultural and food industry practice with information about multi-component monitoring tool for stored product pest beetles. It was evaluated the laboratory efficacy of a new trap „Multi-Insect-Trap“, containing combined pheromone and food attractant for several storage pests species. In small arenas (exposure: 74 hours, 25oC) was tested 6 species of stored product beetles. The efficacy decreased in the following order: Cryptolestes ferrugineus – 100%, Lasioderma serricorne – 100%, Oryzaephilus surinamensis - 70%, Stegobium paniceum - 70%, Sitophilus granarius – 60% and Tribolium castaneum- 40%. The work was supported by projects of Czech ministry of agriculture NAZV QH91146 and Vyzkumný zamer 0002700604.
Fulltext:  PDF
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Physiological mechanisms of aging in maless of model insect species
PROVAZNÍK, Jan
Trade-off between reproduction and longevity is a widely accepted fact, yet proximate mechanisms are scarcely understood. In this work I tested differences in lifespan between diapause and non-diapause males of a model insect, the linden bug Pyrrhocoris apterus. Also the role of juvenile hormone in regulation of longevity and immunity (measured by relative phenoloxidase activity) was assessed. In addition to that, I examined if juvenile hormone is the mediator of reduction in longevity induced by mating.
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