Robert Vander Meer

Dr. Robert Vander Meer

US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

20Years (2007-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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13 August 2008 in The Science of Nature
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RMRobert Vander Meer
Robert Vander Meer
CPCatherine A. Preston
Catherine A. Preston
AHAbraham Hefetz
Abraham Hefetz

10 February 2010 in Journal of Chemical Ecology
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RMRobert Vander Meer
Robert Vander Meer
CPCatherine A. Preston
Catherine A. Preston
Man-Yeon ChoiMan-Yeon Choi
Man-Yeon Choi

1 June 2012 in Journal of Chemical Ecology
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RMRobert Vander Meer
Robert Vander Meer

30 November 2012 in PLOS ONE
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Man-Yeon ChoiMan-Yeon Choi
Man-Yeon Choi
RMRobert Vander Meer
Robert Vander Meer
Our understanding of insect chemical communication including pheromone identification, synthesis, and their role in behavior has advanced tremendously over the last half-century. However, endocrine regulation of pheromone biosynthesis has progressed slowly due to the complexity of direct and/or indirect hormonal activation of the biosynthetic cascades resulting in insect pheromones. Over 20 years ago, a neurohormone, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) was identified that stimulated sex pheromone biosynthesis in a lepidopteran moth. Since then, the physiological role, target site, and signal transduction of PBAN has become well understood for sex pheromone biosynthesis in moths. Despite that PBAN-like peptides (∼200) have been identified from various insect Orders, their role in pheromone regulation had not expanded to the other insect groups except for Lepidoptera. Here, we report that trail pheromone biosynthesis in the Dufour's gland (DG) of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is regulated by PBAN. RNAi knock down of PBAN gene (in subesophageal ganglia) or PBAN receptor gene (in DG) expression inhibited trail pheromone biosynthesis. Reduced trail pheromone was documented analytically and through a behavioral bioassay. Extension of PBAN's role in pheromone biosynthesis to a new target insect, mode of action, and behavioral function will renew research efforts on the involvement of PBAN in pheromone biosynthesis in Insecta.

11 November 2008 in Cell and tissue research
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Man-Yeon ChoiMan-Yeon Choi
Man-Yeon Choi
ARAshok Raina
Ashok Raina
RMRobert Vander Meer
Robert Vander Meer

23 January 2013 in The Science of Nature
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PWPaul J. Weldon
Paul J. Weldon
YCYasmin J. Cardoza
Yasmin J. Cardoza
RMRobert Vander Meer
Robert Vander Meer
WHW. Clint Hoffmann
W. Clint Hoffmann
JDJohn W. Daly
John W. Daly
TSThomas F. Spande
Thomas F. Spande