Gary J. Blomquist, Ph.D.
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The "biorational" approach to insect control involves the development of specific chemicals that interfere with biochemical and physiological processes unique to insects. The goal of our research is to gain an understanding of basic biochemical processes that are unique to insects such that these processes can be exploited for insect control. Toward this end, projects in my laboratory use molecular and biochemical approaches to gain an understanding of the production and endocrine regulation of sex pheromones in the common housefly, the cotton boll weevil and bark beetles.
Other work involves determining the mechanisms of enzymes involved in cuticular lipid formation and studying comparative aspects of fatty acid biochemistry in insects. Bark beetles are extremely destructive forest pests, and we are investigating the processes of how they form their monterpenoid aggregation pheromones. In another project, we have demonstrated that a number of invertebrates can synthesize linoleic acid, which was
Previously thought to be an essential fatty acid for all animals, and are currently studying the gene for this and other desaturases. The long term goal of this research is to gain the necessary basic information such that environmentally compatible insect control techniques can be developed.
Selected Publications:
C. Tittiger, C. O'Keeffe, C.S. Bengoa, L. Barkawi, S.J. Seybold and G.J. Blomquist. Isolation and endocrine regulation of HMG-CoA synthase cDNA from the male Jeffrey pine beetle, Dendroctonus jeffreyi. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. (in press, 2000).
J.A. Tillman, S.J. Seybold, R.A. Jurenka and G.J. Blomquist. Insect Pheromones an overview of biosynthesis and endocrine regulation. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 29:481-514 (1999).
C. Tittiger, G.J. Blomquist, P. Ivarsson, C.E. Borgeson and S.J. Seybold. Juvenile hormone regulation of HMG-R gene expression in the bark beetle Ips paraconfusus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae): implications for male aggregation pheromone biosynthesis. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 55:121-127 (1999).
G.J. Blomquist, J.A. Tillman, S. Mpuru and S.J. Seybold. The cuticle and cuticular hydrocarbons of insects: structure, function and biochemistry. In: Pheromone Communication in Social Insects, Vander Meer, R.K., Breed, M., Winston, M. and Espelie, C., eds. Westview Press, Boulder, CO pp. 34-54 (1998).
S.J. Seybold, D.R. Quilici, J.A. Tillman, D. Vanderwel, D.L. Wood and G.J. Blomquist. De novo biosynthesis of the aggregation pheromone components ipsenol and ipsdienol by the pine bark beetle, Ips paraconfusus Lanier and Ips pini (Say)(Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 92:8393-8397 (1995).
J. R. Reed, D. Vanderwel, S. Choi, J. G. Pomonis, R. C. Reitz and G. J. Blomquist. Unusual mechanism of hydrocarbon formation in the housefly: cytochrome P450 converts aldehyde to the sex pheromone component (Z)-9-tricosene and CO2. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:10,000-10,004 (1994)Search For Dr. Blomquist's Publications In PubMed
Mailing Address:
Gary Blomquist, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry/MS200
University of Nevada
Reno, NV 89557-0014