Enzyme Discovery Could Lead to No Scent, No Sex for Japanese Beetle
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 14:21
in Biology & Nature
If a male Japanese beetle is unable to detect the sex pheromone released by a female, he won't be able to locate her and reproduce. UC Davis researchers have discovered how a key enzyme interacts with those pheromones in the beetle's sophisticated olfactory system, a finding that may lead to important applications for controlling this damaging, invasive pest.