Room: L023
Contact person: Anna Jirošová
The laboratory is primarily focused on so-called electroantennography, a special technique used in olfactometric research of insects. By connecting an insect's antennae between two electrodes as a biodetector, the following property is used: if there are protein receptors on the antennae for specific chemical substances, and the antennae is exposed to vapours of this chemical substance, this will be reflected in a response in the change of electrical potential. This technique helps to determine specific chemical compounds with biological activity for the studied insect, primarily the composition of pheromones, but also substances from host or non-host plants, or, for example, from symbiotic fungi with which the insect interacts.
There are also instruments in the laboratories for the separation and identification of chemical substances from complex mixtures collected in nature which complement this technique as they allow determination of the exact chemical identity of the substances appearing on the feelers.
