Biological activity and in vivo degradation of tritiated female sex pheromone in the male European corn borer.

Isomers of [11,12-(3)H2]-11-tetradecenyl acetate (57 Ci/mM) were synthesized. Behavioral assay of the two compounds using Z- and E-type European corn borer (ECB) males showed that introduction of tritons into the double bond of the pheromone caused a significant isotope effect in the E-type ECB but not in the Z-type ECB. Measurements of tritium associated with the male antennae after a 3-min exposure showed that radioactivity equivalent to 10(-7) mol pheromone was adsorbed onto male antennae. Time-course in vivo metabolic studies with picogram amounts of compound applied topically to antennae of E- and Z-type males and Z-type females showed that they metabolized pheromone similarly but females degraded pheromone more slowly than males. Pheromone was hydrolyzed, and the only other major radiolabeled metabolite observed by combined high-pressure liquid chromatography-radiodetection was tritiated water. Capillary gas chromatography and radiomonitoring permitted detection of a trace amount of 11-tetradecenoic acid, which indicated alcohol oxidase activity is associated with the antennae. Evidence shows that clearing of pheromone from the ECB male antennae involves hydrolysis and oxidation of the alcohol to fatty acid, which in turn is degraded, probably via β-oxidation, to carbon dioxide and water.