Nitroalkenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons from the frontal gland of three prorhinotermes termite species
Abstract
Frontal gland contents of soldiers of three Prorhinotermes species, Prorhinotermes canalifrons, Prorhinotermes inopinatus, and Prorhinotermes simplex, consisted of two groups of compounds: nitroalkenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed (E)-1-nitropentadec-1-ene as the major component of the glands with mean values of 152, 207, and 293 microg/individual for P. canalifrons, P. inopinatus, and P. simplex, respectively. Four other 1-nitroalkenes (C13, C14, C16, and C17), and two nitrodienes (C15 and C17) were also detected in the three species. The C17:1 nitroalkene was identified as (E)-1-nitroheptadec-1-ene. The sesquiterpene composition of the gland was species-specific: P. simplex contained (3Z,6E)-alpha-farnesene (mean of 39 microg/individual), while P. canalifrons and P. inopinatus contained the same compound (means of 0.5 and 1.5 microg/individual, respectively) as well as the (3E,6E) isomer (means of 1.8 and 0.7 microg/individual, respectively). Two other sesquiterpenes, trans-beta-bergamotene and (Z)-gamma-bisabolene, were also found in low quantities in the frontal gland of P. canalifrons.
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Fatty acid nitroalkene derivatives (NO2-FA) are detected in species as diverse as plants, insects and humans.
“Fatty acid nitroalkene derivatives (NO2-FA) are detected in species as diverse as plants, insects and humans [1–3], but little is known of how NO2-FA are endogenously generated.”
From Nitrite and nitrate-dependent generation of anti-inflammatory fatty acid nitroalkenes (2015) · cites this paper as [1]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Piskorski, R., Hanus, R., Vašíčková, S., Cvačka, J., Šobotník, J., Svatoš, A., & Valterová, I.
- Affiliations
- Czech Academy of Sciences (CZ)
- Corresponding author
- Valterová, Irena
- Venue
- Journal of Chemical Ecology
- Published
- 2007-07-31
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1787-1794
- ISSN
- 0098-0331 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-1561
- OpenAlex
- W2060800304
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Chemical Ecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Akademie Věd České Republiky
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Insect Science › Insect Pheromone Research and Control
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Keywords
- termites, frontal gland, soldier caste, nitroalkenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, α-farnesene, chemical communication
- MeSH terms
- Alkenes, Animals, Exocrine Glands, Nitro Compounds, Pheromones, Sesquiterpenes, Isoptera
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