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Identification of guanine as an assembly pheromone of ticks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Dismas A. Otieno ,
A. Hassanali ,
F. D. Obenchain ,
A. Sternberg  and
R. Galun
Dismas A. Otieno
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
A. Hassanali
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
F. D. Obenchain
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
A. Sternberg
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
R. Galun
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Abstract

A tick assembly pheromone present in the excretory waste product of the soft tick, Ornithodoros porcinus porcinus (Walton), has been separated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It has been identified as guanine on the basis of absorption and mass spectral data, and bioassays using nymphs of Argas persicus (Oken). Guanine was active at a low concentration of 8 × 10 −12 M/cm2 of filter paper. Guanine was shown to induce assembly in Amblyomma cohaerens Donitz larvae and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann adults.

Various purines and ammonium salts tested in the assembly bioassay, and with exception of adenine, were shown to be active for A. persicus.

Résumé

Un phéromone de rassemblement des tiques présent dans les excréments de la tique, Ornithodoros porcinus porcinus (Walton), a été isolé par chromotographie liquide à haute performance. Il a été identifié comme guanine sur la base de ses valeurs d'absorption et de masse spectrale ainsi que les analyses biologiques utilisant les nymphes de Argos persicus (Oken). La guanine était active à une faible concentration de 8 × 10−12 M/cm2 de papier filtre, et il était démontré qu'elle provoquait le rassemblement chez les larves d'Amblyomma cohaerens Donitz et chez les adultes de Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neuman.

Différentes purines et sels d'ammonium examinés dans l'analyse du phénomène de rassemblement étaient actifs chez A. persicus à l'exception de l'adenine.

Keywords

ArgasidaeIxodidaeArgas persicusOrnithodoros porcinus porcinusAmblyomma cohaerensRhipicephalus appendiculatustick excretaassembly pheromoneguanineArgasidaeIxodidaeArgos persicusOrnithodoros porcinus porcinusAmblyomma cohaerensRhipicephalus appendiculatusexcréments des tiquesphéromone de rassemblementguanine
Type
Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 6 , Issue 6 , December 1985 , pp. 667 - 670
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1985

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