Unsaturated cuticular hydrocarbons serve as pheromones in insects. In D. melanogaster, these hydrocarbons are sexually dimorphic in both their occurrence and their effects. 7(Z),11(Z)-Nonacosadiene is a cuticular pheromone in female fruit flies that stimulates male courtship behavior. The biosynthesis of this C29 diene appears to be mediated by an elongase with female-based expression.
Nonacosadiene is the pheromone of Drosophila melanogaster from a tetrahydrophyridine derivative[1].
[1] S. V. Kelkar, et al. A Novel Approach to the Synthesis of 7(Z), 11(Z)-Nonacosadiene, Pheromone of Drosophila Melano Gaster and 9(Z)-Tricosene, Pheromone of Musca Domestica. Synthetic Communications.Volume 19, 1989-Issue 7-8.
