Regulation of insect cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play pleiotropic roles in insect survival and reproduction. They prevent desiccation and function as pheromones influencing different behaviors. While the genes in the CHC biosynthesis pathway have been extensively studied, the regulatory mechanisms that lead to different CHC compositions received far less attention. In this review, we present an overview of how different hormones and transcriptional factors regulate CHC synthesis genes, leading to different CHC compositions. Future research focusing on the regulatory mechanisms underlying CHC biosynthesis can lead to a better understanding of how insects could produce dynamic chemical profiles in response to different stimuli.