Abstract
Neuropeptides are involved in almost all physiological activities of insects. Their classification is based on physiological function and the primary amino acid sequence. The pyrokinin (PK)/pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptides (PBAN) are one of the largest neuropeptide families in insects, with a conserved C-terminal domain of FXPRLamide. The peptide family is divided into two groups, PK1/diapause hormone (DH) with a WFGPRLa C-terminal ending and PK2/PBAN with FXPRLamide C-terminal ending. Since the development of cutting-edge technology, an increasing number of peptides have been sequenced primarily through genomic, transcriptomics, and proteomics, and their functions discovered using gene editing tools. In this review, we discussed newly discovered functions, and analyzed the distribution of genes encoding these peptides throughout different insect orders. In addition, the location of the peptides that were confirmed by PCR or immunocytochemistry is also described. A phylogenetic tree was constructed according to the sequences of the receptors of most insect orders. This review offers an understanding of the significance of this conserved peptide family in insects.
1 Introduction
Neuropeptides are very important in the physiology of insects. As the name indicates, they are peptides produced by the nervous system that act as endocrine and/or neuronal signals. They are synthesized in neurons and then travel down the axon to a synapse or can be released into the hemolymph for circulation through a neurohemal organ. Many neuropeptides have been identified from various insects and are involved in regulating physiology and behavior of insects (, ). Neuropeptides belong in families based on the primary amino acid sequence and physiological function. The major family of pyrokinin (PK)/pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptides (PBAN) is based on a conserved C-terminal motif of FXPRLamide which is the minimal requirement for biological activity (, ). The first PK was identified in the cockroach Leucophaea maderae, based on the stimulation of hindgut muscle contraction (). The first PBAN peptide was isolated from the corn earworm moth, Helicoverpa zea, which regulates sex pheromone biosynthesis (, ). Since then, more peptides and their corresponding receptors have been identified through mass spectrometry, transcriptomics, proteomics, and genomics.
The gene encoding PBAN was first identified in H. zea (). The H. zea pban gene can produce 5 neuropeptides including PBAN and diapause hormone (DH); the latter named because it induces embryonic diapause in the silkworm Bombyx mori (). DH has also been referred to as trypto-PK due to the WFGPRLamide C-terminal ending (). Here we will refer to DH- and PBAN-like peptides as PK1/DH and PK2/PBAN, respectively. The three other peptides have been named pyrokinins, subesophageal ganglion neuropeptides, or hugin peptides; the latter name is based on the hugin gene of Drosophila melanogaster (). These peptides typically have a FXPRLamide C-terminal ending and will be referred to as PK2-1,2, and 3. Here we will align the neuropeptide gene sequences based on those of Lepidoptera where PK1/DH is the first peptide produced from the 5’ end followed by PK2-1 and 2, PBAN, and PK2-3 (Figure 1) (). To date, the PK/PBAN family has been discovered in most insect orders and the function of these peptides has been characterized through different methods in many insects.
Figure 1
2 Function of the peptides
Previous research has demonstrated that the PK/PBAN family of peptides acts in a variety of functions, including sex pheromone biosynthesis in most moths (, , ) (but see , for exceptions); melanization in moth larvae (); embryonic diapause in B. mori (); puparium formation in the higher dipteran, Neobellieria bullata (); and breaking pupal diapause in heliothine moths (, ). More functions have been identified in recent years, indicating the pleiotropic nature of the peptide family. In Lepidoptera, several functions have been identified in addition to sex pheromone biosynthesis and embryonic diapause, including seasonal reproductive polyphenism in the tussock moth, Orgyia thyellina () and in addition to the breaking of pupal diapause in heliothine moths, the peptide could terminate larval diapause in Omphisa fuscidentalis (). RNAi mediated knockdown of pban implicates other functions due to increased pupal mortality in H. zea () and delay of larval growth, interference of pupal development, and mortality in H. zea and H. armigera (). In the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, PBAN signaling regulates fecundity (). Recently, the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tool was used to determine the role of pban in Mythimna separata (). The study demonstrated that pban is necessary for density-dependent cuticular melanization during the late larval stages and is required for sex pheromone production in female adults.
Functions for the PK/PBAN family of peptides have been identified in other orders. In the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, the knockdown of pban increases larval and adult mortality, and delays pupal development (). It is also involved in production of the trail pheromone in the fire ant (). DH-like peptides promote egg diapause in Locusta migratoria (). The peptides produced by hugin are thought to be involved in regulating feeding behaviors in D. melanogaster (). PKs were found to be involved in regulation of hindgut function in the adult mosquito, Aedes aegypti (). Recently, PBAN from the western flower thrip, Frankliniella occidentalis, was shown to induce production of an aggregation pheromone ().
3 PBAN-like gene encoding neuropeptides in insects
In most insects, two genes (pban and capa) encode several PK/PBAN-like peptides. The pban gene can encode up to five peptides, including a PBAN and a DH, was first identified in moths (, ). In Drosophila, the hugin gene is homologous to pban which encodes two PKs (). The capa gene was first identified in D. melanogaster, encoding two periviscerokinin-like peptides with a PRV/Iamide and a PK with an WFGPRLamide C-terminal ending (). Representative gene sequences for pban and capa are shown in Figure 1. Biological functions for the periviscerokinins include myotropic activation of muscles, including the heart, and control of diuretic action on the Malpighian tubules (). So far, based on transcriptomics, the WFGPRLamide peptide produced by capa is found in almost all insects, with a few exceptions (). It was not found in three species of Siphonaptera and only in the Symphyta of Hymenoptera. The capa of Apoidea and Formicidae could produce a peptide with a GYTPRLamide C-terminal ending in addition to the two periviscerokinins. This review will concentrate on the peptides produced by pban across Insecta ().
The number of transcriptome analysis of insect species has greatly increased in the past few years. This has greatly increased the number of species in which pban can be identified in NCBI databases and with increased numbers better inferences can be made. The peptides can be identified based on the GR or GK signal at the C-terminal end where the glycine is used to make the amide of the mature peptide (Figure 1). The N-terminal start of the peptide is also determined by a signal sequence that is more variable and also produces a variable length peptide. Here we will concentrate on the C-terminal ending in comparing pban across the Insecta as shown in Figure 2. A gene sequence does not necessarily mean that the insect will produce the mature peptide, which requires processing of the prepropeptide, but a transcriptome sequence does indicate that at least the mRNA is produced and thus the potential to produce a mature peptide.
Figure 2
It is immediately apparent that the PK1/DH peptide has the a consistent C-terminal ending and was found in almost all insects. The exception is the Hemiptera in which only the suborder Heteroptera consistently had PK1/DH and was more variable in the suborders Sternorryncha and Auchenorryncha. However, the Heteroptera were found not to have a PK1/DH sequence as was discovered in the brown marmorated stink bug (
In the Apterygota, the most primitive hexapods include Diplura, Collembola, Archaeognatha, and Thysanura. All five peptides could be produced but PK1/DH was not found in 4 species of Diplura (
In the holometabolous insects, only the Lepidoptera have a pban that can produce all five peptides. The lower number of species in which PK2-3 was found in Lepidoptera is probably due to truncated sequences of transcriptome data rather than lack of a PK2-3 peptide. One notable difference in PK1/DH sequences is that the Tortricidae have a VFKPILa C-terminal ending (
The Neuroptera group included 42 species of Neuroptera, 17 species of Raphidoptera, and 11 species of Megaloptera. The gene structure of Neuroptera is different in that only the PK1/DH peptides were found. In addition, upstream of the PK1/DH sequence are two PRVamide sequences. These are similar to the perivicerokinins found in capa of other insects. Apparently, the peptides produced by pban and capa in other insects are consolidated together in one gene in Neuroptera. In Megaloptera and Raphidioptera, two pban-like genes were found; one similar to the Neuroptera and the other similar to other insects in that in addition to PK1/DH and PK2-1, PK2-2 could be produced. The PK2/PBAN sequence was found in only 4 species of Raphidoptera.
In Coleoptera, most species produced 3 peptides as illustrated in Tribolium castaneum (
In Hymenoptera, all species had a very similar C-terminal sequence for the PK1/DH peptide. The remaining three peptides were not found in all Hymenoptera. Notably 8 species of the superfamily Chalcidoidea were found to lack the PK2-1 peptide. All 24 species of Vespidae only had the PK1/DH sequence and no other PK2 sequence.
In the lower Diptera (Nematocera), the PK1/DH sequence was found in Tipulidae, Chironomidae, and Culicidae. The PK1/DH sequence was lacking in all the other dipteran families including some lower Diptera like Psychodidae (
4 PBAN location in CNS
The PK/PBAN family of peptides are detected in the brain, suboesophageal ganglion (SEG), certain cells of the corpora cardiaca, thoracic ganglia (TG), and abdominal ganglia (AG), based on immunohistochemistry using anti-PBAN in moths (
5 Receptors
Receptors for the PK/PBAN family of peptides are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) which are characterized by having seven transmembrane domains. The receptors (r) could be classified into two groups: PK2/PBANr and PK1/DHr based on whether they bind PK2/PBAN-like sequences or PK1/DH-like sequences. The PBAN/PK2r have been cloned and characterized in many insect species starting with D. melanogaster (
The first PK1/DHrs were identified in Drosophila and confirmed using a PK1/DH peptide ligand (
The PBAN receptors have been detected in most insect orders. The phylogenetic tree shown in Figure 3 for PK2/PBANr was built with representative sequences from 19 orders and in Figure 4 for PK1/DHr was built with representative sequences from 18 orders. The sequences were selected using BLAST results to non-redundant protein sequences with known sequences from D. melanogaster, H. zea, A. mellifera, B. mori, and T. castaneum, and the remaining receptors were detected in the transcriptome shotgun assembly database but without annotation. As demonstrated in previous studies the PK2/PBANr and PK1/DHr are closely related but distinguished from each other in a phylogenetic tree (
Figure 3

Phylogenetic relationship of PK2/PBANr representative sequences. C-terminal and N-terminal sequences of the receptors were removed then aligned using ClustalW, and the phylogeny calculated using the Maximum Likelihood algorithm with 100 bootstrap replicates. The family and order name are shown in the tree. The tree was modified using Evolview (
Figure 4

Phylogenetic relationship of PK1/DHr representative sequences. C-terminal and N-terminal sequences of the receptors were removed then aligned using ClustalW, and the phylogeny calculated using the Maximum Likelihood algorithm with 100 bootstrap replicates. The family and order name are shown in the tree. The tree was modified using Evolview (
Although representatives of most insect orders have a PK2/PBANr there are some families that do not have these receptors. One such family is the Vespidae in the Hymenoptera. This corresponds to the finding that all of the Vespidae have a pban that only has the PK1/DH sequence and does not have the PK2 sequences.
Due to the importance of PBAN in regulating sex pheromone biosynthesis in Lepidoptera, the PBANr has been extensively studied in moths. The first PBAN receptor was identified in H. zea (
PBAN has a relatively low threshold for activating the receptor. PBANr in H. zea could be activated at EC50 of 25 nM (
Studies using PKr from Drosophila and An. gambiae have revealed similar cross-reactivity of ligands across the PK1/DH and PK2/PBAN receptors, despite the fact that the receptors responded differently to PK1/DH and PK2/PBAN peptides (
6 Conclusion
PK/PBAN family peptide sequences have been extensively investigated by genomics, transcriptome, and peptidomics, and the neuronal sites are examined by immunocytochemistry, peptidomics, and PCR. RNA interference (RNAi) and gene editing are also used to examine the function of these peptides. It is important to highlight that most insect orders include the genes encoding these peptides and their corresponding receptors. Some insect orders have conserved functions, however, the functions in many insects remain unknown. In this review, we analyzed the function of the peptides in different orders, several recent functions have been identified, such as cuticular melanization in the oriental armyworm larvae (
Statements
Author contributions
RJ: Writing – review & editing. XD: Writing – original draft.
Funding
The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Conflict of interest
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Summary
Keywords
neuropeptides, PK/PBAN peptides, PK1/DH peptides, PK2/PBAN peptides, receptors
Citation
Dou X and Jurenka R (2023) Pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide family in insects: a review. Front. Endocrinol. 14:1274750. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1274750
Received
08 August 2023
Accepted
30 November 2023
Published
14 December 2023
Volume
14 - 2023
Edited by
Qisheng Song, University of Missouri, United States
Reviewed by
Stephen Foster, North Dakota State University, United States
Man-Yeon Choi, United States Department of Agriculture, United States
Takeshi Fujii, Setsunan University, Japan
Qisheng Song, University of Missouri, United States
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© 2023 Dou and Jurenka.
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*Correspondence: Russell Jurenka, rjurenka@iastate.edu
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