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Team:Valencia UPV/Project/eag
From 2014.igem.org
Project > Results > Electroantennography
As explained in the methodology section (see Methodology: Electroantennography) we performed an electroantennography (EAG) to test the moth response to pheromones. Insects can detect pheromones through their antennae, then an electrical impulse is transmitted from them to the brain in order to trigger moth response to the pheromones. The EAG allows us to detect these electrical impulses by connecting one insect antenna to two electrodes that will amplify this impulse in order to be detected.
We connected one antenna from a male moth, Sesamia nonagrioides , with the two electrodes. Then , an air current with a leaf extract containing our pheromones was applied (Figure 3. Signal 1). As it can be appreciated, as the extract was applied the antenna transmitted an electrical impulse. This was the moth response to our insect pheromones produced in plant.
Figure 1. Side view of an insect antenna connected to EAG electrodes.
As a control, we also applied an air current with no pheromones in suspension. (Figure 3. Signal 2) The antena did not transmit any electrical signal.
Figure 2. Upper view of an insect antenna connected to EAG electrodes .
Figure 3. Electroantennography analysis of Sesamia nonagroides response to sexual pheromones produced in genetically engineered Nicotiana Benthamiana plants. Signal1: Antennal response to the Sexy Plant leaf extract. Signal 2: Antennal response to an air puff.
The volatiles in our Sexy Plants induced detectable electric pulses that could indicate a pheromone response, although further testing will be required for confirmation.
