A novel terpene synthase produces an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone in the butterfly Heliconius melpomene
K. Darragh, A. Orteu, K. J. R. P. Byers, D. Szczerbowski, I. A. Warren, P. Rastas, A. L. Pinharanda, J. Davey, S. F. Garza, D. Abondano Almeida, R. M. Merrill, W. O. McMillan, S. Schulz, C. D. Jiggins
The paper identifies a novel terpene synthase in Heliconius melpomene that synthesizes (E)-β-ocimene, an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone, showing it evolved independently from plant and other insect TPSs.
bioRxiv · Sep 23, 2019 · PreprintBiochemistry