Insect Olfaction

Insects perceive the world through small molecules which carry information (signature) for the recognition of potential mates, preys, and specific features of the environment, such as food sources, oviposition sites, etc. The information-carrying chemical compounds are referred to as semiochemicals (see insect chemical communication), a generic term encompassing chemicals involved in intraspecific communications (pheromones) and interspecific interactions, such as kairomones (that give advantage to the receiver), and allomones (which benefit the sender). The entire olfactory process encompasses the perception of semiochemicals by a specialized apparatus in the periphery (normally the insect antennae; maxillary palpi in some cases), processing of signals in the antennal lobe, integration of these signals with other stimulus modalities in the protocerebrum, with ultimate translation into behavior. Because the chemical signals (semiochemicals) are normally produced in minute amounts and diluted in the environment with a complex mixture of chemical compounds derived from a myriad of sources, the olfactory system in insects evolved as a remarkably selective and sensitive system, which approaches the theoretical limit for a detector. For example, it has been estimated that the male silkworm moth is able to distinguish within one second 170 nerve impulses generated by the female silkworm moth's sex pheromone from 1,700 spontaneous nervous impulses [1], thus, operating on a remarkably low S/N ratio! In addition to sensitivity and selectivity, odor-oriented navigation in insects requires a dynamic process of signal deactivation (inactivation). While flying en route to a pheromone-emitting female (ANIMATION requires Flash), males encounter pheromone molecules as intermittent signals comprised of short bursts of high flux separated by periods during which the flux is zero. The average duration of bursts of high flux is on the order of millisecond and it decreases as the moth comes closer to the pheromone source [2]. Thus, a male moth has to detect rapidly and selectively minute amounts of pheromones buried in an "environmental mixture". Soon after the signal is detected, the pheromone detectors must be reset in a millisecond timescale so as to allow a sustained flight towards a pheromone source.

1. Kaissling KE (1996) Peripheral mechanisms of pheromone reception in moths. Chem Senses 21: 257-268.

2. Murlis J, Willis MA, Carde RT (2000) Spatial and temporal structures of pheromone plumes in fields and forests. Physiol Entomol 25: 211-222.

Current Members

Walter S. Leal
(Principal Investigator)
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Zainulabeuddin (Zain) Syed
(Postdoctoral Scholar)
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Julien Pelletier
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Ana Claudia do Amaral Melo
(Scholar on sabbatical leave)
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Wei Xu
(Graduate Student)
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Zhao Liu
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Ruben Palma
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Derrick Stacy
(Undergraduate Student-ABI Program)
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Charles Assare
(Undergraduate Student-MCB)
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Gabriel
(6th Grader-School Science Project)
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Former Members
Yuko Ishida
(PostDoc)
Ana Lia Parra
(Graduate Student)
Stephanie DeBorde Dickey
(Research Assistant)
Armenak (Armen) Margaryan
(Senior Research Scientist)
Melissa L. Erickson (PGR)
Jennifer Tsuruda (PGR)
Scott McCluen
(Junior Scientist)
Chris Pagan
(Undergraduate Student)
Allison Manko
(Undergraduate Student)
Brooke Pannell (Student)
Melissa Hardstone (Student)
Tania Morgan
(Graduate Student)
Catherine Richardson (Student)
Göde Schüler (PostDoc)
Ning Li (GradStudent)
Vicky Chiang (Student)
Chunpei Wang (Student)
Carol Chen (Student)
Helen Wong (Student)
Chris Bahr (PostDoc)
John Garden
(Senior Research Associate)
Angela Chen (PGR)
Justin Bonetto
(Undergraduate Student)
Shinichi Tebayashi
(Visiting Scientist)