Determination of natural olive fruit fly pheromone in insect samples by enzyme linked immunoassays

Abstract

The olive fruit fly pheromone avidin–biotin ELISA immunoassay, based on the use of polyclonal G antibodies derived from rabbits (reported previously) and a newer assay, based on the use of polyclonal Y antibodies isolated from the eggs of laying hens (reported in this paper), were applied successfully for the analysis of natural pheromone in virgin adult female olive fruit flies. According to the results obtained, the pheromone content in the glands of adult female olive fruit flies increases from the third to the ninth day of their age. During the calling period, the female olive fruit flies seem to emit ∼1.1 μg pheromone/insect/day at least. The immunoassay, based on the Y antibodies, is slightly more sensitive (detection limit 40 ng/mL) than the assay based on polyclonal anti-pheromone rabbit antiserum (detection limit 80 ng/mL). As revealed by thorough cross-reactivity studies, including 14 structurally similar to the olive fruit fly pheromone molecules, the newer immunoassay is less selective than the previous one and seems to cross react with few molecules bearing the spiroketal moiety.