Chitin synthetase activity and inhibition in different insect microsomal preparations

Summary To facilitate massive screening and for structure-activity relationship studies of chitin synthesis inhibitors, methods to obtain the chitin synthetase (CS) containing microsomal fraction from the postmitochondrial supernatant were examined. Compared with fractionation by differential centrifugation, the CaCl₂ precipitate yielded the most active CS preparation. Acidification (pH 5.6) and polyethylene glycol 8000 (5%) treatments resulted in relatively low CS activity. Inhibitory effects were detected with polyoxin-D and 1-geranyl-2-methyl benzimidazole, a novel CS inhibitor, but not with benzoylphenyl ureas.     

Biosynthesis of 1-alkenes in the defensive secretions ofTribolium confusum (Tenebrionidae); stereochemical implications

Summary The terminally unsaturated hydrocarbons of the defensive secretion ofTribolium confusum are biosynthesized from fatty acids by oxidative decarboxylation. The process involves an enantiospecific cleavage of the C–H bond of thepro-(S) C(3)–H atom and simultaneous decarboxylation of the acid into an 1-alkene and carbon dioxide via ananti-periplanar transition state geometry (anti-elimination). The stereochemistry of this biotranformation is identical in all respects with the same reaction in higher plants. The mechanism seems to be of general importance for the biosynthesis of many vinylic substructures of natural products from oxygen-containing precursors.     

仓储粮食中害虫活动声的提取与频谱分析

以无规声源作为粮食中害虫爬行发声的理论模型，分别对20只黑菌虫（Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer）成虫在小麦中的爬行声和20只赤拟谷盗（Tribolium castaneum Herbst）成虫在玉米中的爬行声进行了数据采集．在Matlab下，对爬行声信号进行了再现．依据噪声特征，综合利用滤波器消噪和小波消噪提取出了明显的声信号．对信号的功率谱特征进行了分析，黑菌虫成虫在小麦中的爬行声频谱和赤拟谷盗成虫在玉米中的爬行声均是离散谱，前者频率最高1600Hz，主频在205Hz．后者主频在350Hz，最高频率800Hz．其结果表明，用爬行声功率谱特征可以区分粮食中害虫的种群．     

Enhanced production of aggregation pheromones in four stored-product coleopterans feeding on methoprene-treated oats

Summary Production of aggregation pheromones by maleOryzaephilus surinamensis, O. mercator, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, andTribolium castaneum was enhanced by feeding on methoprene-treated oats, implicating juvenile hormone in control of pheromone production. Methoprene application to control insects in stored food products may cause enhanced pheromone production by these insects, thus drawing additional beetles into the treated product.Acknowledgments. We thank Dr. G. B. Staal of Zoëcon Corp. for a generous gift of methoprene. Particular thanks are due to J. Dodic for technical assistance. Research funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Science Council of British Columbia.     

丁香毒杀赤拟谷盗卵的胚胎学研究

赤拟谷盗是世界性仓库害虫。本研究采用环境扫描电镜研究了不同胚胎发育期卵的表面结构及胚胎发育过程,特别是研究了丁香及其化学成分对赤拟谷盗卵的毒杀作用。研究表明赤拟谷盗卵呈椭圆形,表面光滑;发育60 h时,卵的一端已经明显出现分化;发育76 h时,已经可以见到头部发育完整的幼虫;至92 h时,卵已经开始孵化。丁香处理的赤拟谷盗卵,部分卵能发育为幼虫,但幼虫均不能正常孵化而死亡。其中,发育12 h后用丁香处理的赤拟谷盗卵不能发育为幼虫而干瘪死亡,发育36 h后用丁香处理的卵虽能部分发育为幼虫,但幼虫全部在卵壳内死亡,发育84 h后用丁香处理的卵,部分幼虫在孵化时死亡。目前主要用化学防护剂和熏蒸剂防治储藏害虫,用植物源的丁香控制赤拟谷盗具有较大的应用价值。     

丁香酚对赤拟谷盗的生物活性

采用点滴法、熏蒸法等生物测定的常规方法测定了丁香酚(Syzygium aromaticum)对世界性仓贮害虫赤拟谷盗(Tribolium castaneum (Herbst))的生物活性作用.结果表明,丁香酚能抑制赤拟谷盗的生长发育,不同发育时期的赤拟谷盗卵对丁香酚的敏感程度不同;在(31±1) ℃,相对湿度为50%～85%的环境条件下,发育72 h左右的赤拟谷盗卵对丁香酚最敏感,6 μL/mL丁香酚即能完全抑制卵的孵化;丁香酚对赤拟谷盗的幼虫和成虫均有显著的触杀作用,其对幼虫和成虫的致死中浓度(LC50)分别为218.999 9 μL/mL和363.077 4 μL/mL,表明幼虫对丁香酚比成虫对丁香酚更敏感;丁香酚对赤拟谷盗成虫具有明显的驱避作用,对幼虫和成虫也有一定的熏蒸致死作用,用2 μL/mL丁香酚处理赤拟谷盗成虫3 h,对赤拟谷盗成虫的驱避率可达到93.3%,即可达到最高驱避级别V级.