Biotechnology - Yu.O. Sazykin 2006

General Biotechnology
Environmental Aspects of Biotechnology
Ecological and Biochemical Interactions in Organismal Communities

It is known that specialized glands in plants and animals produce biologically active molecules with signaling and communicative Functions, which are released into the environment and elicit a specific response in individuals of the same species that perceive them. This response in the recipient individual may involve A change in either behavior or developmental processes.

Thus, chemical communication serves as a mechanism for information transfer. The substances responsible for such phenomena have been termed pheromones (from the Greek phepo — to drive, to carry, etc.).

Pheromones are generally divided into releaser pheromones and primer pheromones.

Releaser pheromones trigger immediate behavioral effects. These include sex pheromones, alarm pheromones, trail pheromones, territorial marking pheromones, and others. It is worth noting their exceptionally high biological activity. For example, just a few molecules of such a pheromone per 1 m3 of air are sufficient for a recipient animal to alter its direction of movement. Thus, sparse populations of polar bears scattered across vast Arctic expanses as solitary wandering individuals are able to find each other for mating thanks to their species-specific sex pheromone. The same occurs in sparse populations of Amur tigers; notably, the biological activity of the corresponding pheromone exhibits extreme Specificity, given that the air of the Ussurian "subtropical taiga" contains numerous volatile Organic compounds of PLANT AND ANIMAL origin.

Primer pheromones induce long-term physiological effects in the recipient Organism. These include substances that determine the timing of sexual maturity in animals (showing a connection with Prostaglandins). Another effect of certain primer pheromones is the signaling mechanism that enforces monogamy and prevents incest in specific mammalian species, such as certain rodents. In this case, the mechanisms approach neuroendocrine regulation. Primer pheromones also encompass substances that regulate caste determination in "social" insects.

Pheromones also include allomones and kairomones, which mediate "communication" within supraorganismal interspecific communities. Allomones benefit the emitter, whereas kairomones benefit the recipients.

The general Biological Significance of pheromones is unquestionable, although it remains largely unexplored. As chemical compounds, pheromones are exceptionally diverse in Structure.

Research on pheromones is conducted on both vertebrates and invertebrates. Several hundred chemical structures with signaling and communicative activity have been isolated from vertebrates, predominantly mammals, and about two thousand from invertebrates. Both groups—and especially the latter, with their vast array of species—remain poorly understood as sources of pheromones.

The Prospects for applying pheromones in agriculture, ranging from animal husbandry to pest control (as an alternative to insecticides), are undisputed and are already being partially implemented.

The diverse biological activity of pheromones holds significant promise for pharmaceutical Applications; however, realizing this potential depends on elucidating their MECHANISM OF ACTION at THE MOLECULAR LEVEL.