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Responses of bombykol receptor cells to (Z,E)-4,6-hexadecadiene and linalool

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Summary

The bombykol analogue (Z,E)-4,6-hexadecadiene elicits nerve-impulse firing in the bombykol receptor cell of male moths ofBombyx mori. It is about 100 times less effective than bombykol if one compares equipotent loads of the odor sources. However, brief (1 s) hexadecadiene stimuli are followed by after-responses lasting for more than 10 min, much longer than those following bombykol stimuli yielding equal initial responses. The possibility is discussed that the unusual type of response to hexadecadiene is produced by a combination of long-lasting excitatory and shortlasting inhibitory effects on the receptor cell. Alternatively, hexadecadiene could be a weak activator which is converted on the antenna into a more potent compound. The after-responses can be reversibly inhibited by linalool stimuli. The electrophysiological effects observed led to the prediction that a single stimulus with (Z,E)-4,6-hexadecadiene followed by repetitive pulses of linalool should simulate a response to pulsed bombykol stimuli and elicit anemotactic behavior of maleBombyx mori.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, D-8130, Seewiesen, Germany

    K. -E. Kaissling

  2. Department of Biology, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China

    L. Z. Meng

  3. Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Erlangen, D-8520, Erlangen, Germany

    H. -J. Bestmann

Authors
  1. K. -E. Kaissling
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  2. L. Z. Meng
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  3. H. -J. Bestmann
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Kaissling, K.E., Meng, L.Z. & Bestmann, H.J. Responses of bombykol receptor cells to (Z,E)-4,6-hexadecadiene and linalool. J. Comp. Physiol. 165, 147–154 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00619189

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00619189

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