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Walter Leal

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Brazilian entomologist (born 1954)
Walter S. Leal
Born (1954-02-02) February 2, 1954 (age 70)
Brazil
NationalityBrazilian, American
EducationChemical engineering, agricultural chemistry, applied biochemistry
Alma materFederal University of Pernambuco
Mie University
University of Tsukuba
Known forIdentification of insect pheromones and mosquito attractants and elucidating a mode of action of the insect repellent DEET
AwardsFellow, California Academy of Sciences
Fellow, National Academy of Inventors
Corresponding Member, Brazilian Academy of Science
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Member,National Academy of Sciences
Scientific career
FieldsChemical ecology, entomology, insect olfaction
InstitutionsUniversity of California, Davis
Websitebiology.ucdavis.edu/people/walter-leal

Walter Soares Leal (born February 2, 1954) is a Brazilian biochemist and entomologist who is known for identifying pheromones and mosquito attractants, and elucidating a mechanism of action of the insect repellent DEET.

Leal was the first non-Japanese to earn tenure at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan. In 2000, he accepted a position as associate professor at the University of California, Davis. Leal is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. He served as chair of the entomology department at UC Davis (now Department of Entomology & Nematology).

Education and early life

Leal attended the Federal University of Pernambuco, from which he graduated in 1982 with a B.Eng degree in chemical engineering. In 1987, he got his MS in agricultural chemistry from Mie University in Tsu-Mie, Japan. While still residing in Japan, Leal attended the University of Tsukuba, division of Applied Biochemistry, graduating with a Ph.D. three years later. While in high school, Leal worked as a sports reporter to pay tuition and fees and later as a high school teacher – a career he started while a freshman in college, under the supervision of his favorite teacher, Aloísio Guimarães Sotero [pt].

Research

Leal has identified complex pheromones from many insect species, including scarab beetles, true bugs, long-horned beetles, and moths. Intrigued by chiral discrimination by scarab beetles, he became interested in the molecular basis of insect olfaction. His laboratory discovered a pH-dependent conformational change in pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) from moths before their 3D structures were known. In collaboration with Jon Clardy and Nobel Laureate Kurt Wuthrich, they determine the first 3D structures of PBPs. Subsequently, his laboratory studied the kinetics of pheromone binding and release by PBPs. Leal laboratory fully identified the first odorant-degrading enzymes from moths and scarab beetles. In 2005, Leal coined the term “reverse chemical ecology” for employing olfactory proteins to identify semiochemicals of potential practical applications. Using this approach, he identified oviposition attractants for mosquitoes. His laboratory identified olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) highly sensitive to nonanal, which might play a crucial role in Culex mosquitoes shifting from birds to humans, implicated in West Nile virus transmission. Leal and his collaborators identified mosquito ORNs sensitive to DEET and subsequently identified an odorant receptor, CquiOR136, sensitive to DEET and other commercially available insect repellents. Leal and collaborators discovered a receptor, CquiOR32, with dual inhibitory/excitatory properties manifested in the Xenopus oocyte recording system, in flies and mosquito behavior. Leal laboratory demonstrated for the first time that mosquitoes respond to carbon dioxide with a heterodimer formed by GR2 and GR3, not as GR1/GR3 as previously hypothesized. They also demonstrated that CO2 per se, not bicarbonate, activates these receptors. Leal is the author and co-author of more than 220 scientific articles.

Major services to the scientific community

Leal served as Councilor and President of the International Society of Chemical Ecology. Along with Alvin Simmons, Leal served as co-chair of the 2016 International Congress of Entomology. At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, Leal organized a series of COVID symposia, which drew thousands of attendees. In 2021, he organized a symposium, "Insect Olfaction and Taste in 24 Hours Around the Globe", to provide a platform for young scholars to highlight their recent work and interact with other well-established scholars in the field.

Awards

  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2024)
  • Honorary Member, Entomological Society of America
  • Academic Senate's 2022 Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award
  • Distinguished Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching, UC Davis Academic Senate (2020)
  • Award for Excellence in Teaching, Pacific Branch of the Entomological Society of America (2020)
  • Founders’ Memorial Award, Entomological Society of America (2019)
  • Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2019)
  • Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences (2015)
  • Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (2015),
  • Corresponding Member, Brazilian Academy of Sciences (2012)
  • Silver Medal, International Society of Chemical Ecology (2012)
  • Nan-Yao Su Award for Innovation and Creativity in Entomology (2011)
  • Fellow of the Entomological Society of America (2008)
  • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2005)
  • Gakkai-show (Fellow-like award), Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology (1998)
  • Entomological Society of Brazil Award, Medal of Achievement (1995)
  • Gijitsusho (Technology Prize), Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology & Agrochemistry (1994)

References

  1. Watry, Greg (May 30, 2019). "Discovering Curiosity: The Buggy Scent of Desire with Distinguished Professor Walter Leal". College of Biological Sciences. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  2. "No more stink". Daily Democrat. September 1, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  3. Marlene Cimons (January 22, 2010). "Why Human Blood Drives Mosquitoes Wild". livescience.com. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  4. "UC Davis Scientists Discover Exact Receptor that Repels DEET in Mosquitoes". ANR Blogs. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  5. "Groundbreaking UC Davis Research Shows DEET'S Not Sweet to Mosquitoes". ANR Blogs. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  6. "Brazilian Researcher Get Govt Posting" (PDF). The Daily Yomiuri.
  7. "Unreserved seat" (PDF). Mainichi Shimbun.
  8. wsleal (February 14, 2018). "Walter S. Leal". College of Biological Sciences. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  9. "Walter Leal Named Chair of UC Davis Department of Entomology". ANR Blogs. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  10. "UC Davis Entomology Program Ranked No. 1 in the Country". ANR Blogs. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  11. "Why Human Blood Drives Mosquitoes Wild". www.nsf.gov. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  12. Leal, W. S. (October 29, 1996). "Chemical communication in scarab beetles: reciprocal behavioral agonist-antagonist activities of chiral pheromones". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 93 (22): 12112–12115. Bibcode:1996PNAS...9312112L. doi:10.1073/pnas.93.22.12112. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 37951. PMID 8901541.
  13. Leal, Walter Scares; Zarbin, Paulo H. G.; Wojtasek, Hubert; Kuwahara, Shigefumi; Hasegawa, Makoto; Ueda, Yasuo (January 16, 1997). "Medicinal alkaloid as a sex pheromone". Nature. 385 (6613): 213. Bibcode:1997Natur.385..213L. doi:10.1038/385213a0. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 9000070. S2CID 1633919.
  14. Leal, Walter Soares; Higuchi, Hiroya; Mizutani, Nobuo; Nakamori, Hiroaki; Kadosawa, Toshihiro; Ono, Mikio (July 10, 1995). "Multifunctional communication inRiptortus clavatus (Heteroptera: Alydidae): Conspecific nymphs and egg parasitoidOoencyrtus nezarae use the same adult attractant pheromone as chemical cue". Journal of Chemical Ecology. 21 (7): 973–985. doi:10.1007/BF02033802. ISSN 0098-0331. PMID 24234413. S2CID 23283671.
  15. Leal, Walter (1994). "Female sex pheromone of the longhorn beetle Migdolus fryanus Westwood: N-(2′S)-methylbutanoyl 2-methylbutylamine". Experientia. 50 (9): 853–856. doi:10.1007/BF01956471. S2CID 36650293.
  16. Leal, W. S.; Parra-Pedrazzoli, A. L.; Kaissling, K.-E.; Morgan, T. I.; Zalom, F. G.; Pesak, D. J.; Dundulis, E. A.; Burks, C. S.; Higbee, B. S. (January 25, 2005). "Unusual pheromone chemistry in the navel orangeworm: novel sex attractants and a behavioral antagonist". Naturwissenschaften. 92 (3): 139–146. Bibcode:2005NW.....92..139L. doi:10.1007/s00114-004-0598-5. ISSN 0028-1042. PMID 15668783. S2CID 41154563.
  17. Leal, WS (October 29, 1996). "Chemical communication in scarab beetles: reciprocal behavioral agonist-antagonist activities of chiral pheromones". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 93 (22): 12112–5. Bibcode:1996PNAS...9312112L. doi:10.1073/pnas.93.22.12112. PMC 37951. PMID 8901541.
  18. Wojtasek, Hubert; Leal, Walter S. (October 22, 1999). "Conformational Change in the Pheromone-binding Protein fromBombyx mori Induced by pH and by Interaction with Membranes". Journal of Biological Chemistry. 274 (43): 30950–30956. doi:10.1074/jbc.274.43.30950. PMID 10521490.
  19. Horst, R.; Damberger, F.; Luginbuhl, P.; Guntert, P.; Peng, G.; Nikonova, L.; Leal, W. S.; Wuthrich, K. (December 4, 2001). "NMR structure reveals intramolecular regulation mechanism for pheromone binding and release". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 98 (25): 14374–14379. Bibcode:2001PNAS...9814374H. doi:10.1073/pnas.251532998. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 64689. PMID 11724947.
  20. Sandler, B. H.; Nikonova, L.; Leal, W. S.; Clardy, J. (February 1, 2000). "Sexual attraction in the silkworm moth: structure of the pheromone-binding-protein-bombykol complex". Chemistry & Biology. 7 (2): 143–151. doi:10.1016/s1074-5521(00)00078-8. ISSN 1074-5521. PMID 10662696.
  21. Leal, W. S.; Chen, A. M.; Ishida, Y.; Chiang, V. P.; Erickson, M. L.; Morgan, T. I.; Tsuruda, J. M. (April 12, 2005). "Kinetics and molecular properties of pheromone binding and release". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 102 (15): 5386–5391. Bibcode:2005PNAS..102.5386L. doi:10.1073/pnas.0501447102. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 555038. PMID 15784736.
  22. Ishida, Y.; Leal, W. S. (September 27, 2005). "From The Cover: Rapid inactivation of a moth pheromone". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 102 (39): 14075–14079. doi:10.1073/pnas.0505340102. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1216831. PMID 16172410.
  23. Ishida, Yuko; Leal, Walter S. (July 1, 2008). "Chiral discrimination of the Japanese beetle sex pheromone and a behavioral antagonist by a pheromone-degrading enzyme". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105 (26): 9076–9080. Bibcode:2008PNAS..105.9076I. doi:10.1073/pnas.0802610105. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 2440356. PMID 18579770.
  24. Leal, Walter. "Pheromone reception". Top. Curr. Chem. 240: 1–36.
  25. Pickett, J. A.; Birkett, M. A.; Logan, J. G. (September 9, 2008). "DEET repels ORNery mosquitoes". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105 (36): 13195–13196. Bibcode:2008PNAS..10513195P. doi:10.1073/pnas.0807167105. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 2533167. PMID 18772369.
  26. Syed, Z.; Leal, W. S. (September 9, 2008). "Mosquitoes smell and avoid the insect repellent DEET". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105 (36): 13598–13603. doi:10.1073/pnas.0805312105. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 2518096. PMID 18711137.
  27. Xu, Pingxi; Choo, Young-Moo; De La Rosa, Alyssa; Leal, Walter S. (November 18, 2014). "Mosquito odorant receptor for DEET and methyl jasmonate". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 111 (46): 16592–16597. Bibcode:2014PNAS..11116592X. doi:10.1073/pnas.1417244111. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 4246313. PMID 25349401.
  28. Xu, Pingxi; Choo, Young-Moo; Chen, Zhou; Zeng, Fangfang; Tan, Kaiming; Chen, Tsung-Yu; Cornel, Anthony J.; Liu, Nannan; Leal, Walter S. (September 27, 2019). "Odorant Inhibition in Mosquito Olfaction". iScience. 19: 25–38. Bibcode:2019iSci...19...25X. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2019.07.008. PMC 6660600. PMID 31349189.
  29. Xu, Pingxi; Wen, Xiaolan; Leal, Walter S. (February 2, 2020). "CO2 per se activates carbon dioxide receptors". Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 117: 103284. doi:10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103284. PMC 6980743. PMID 31760135.
  30. "My Bibliography - NCBI". www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  31. Simmons, Alvin M; Leal, Walter S (March 8, 2018). "Twenty-Fifth International Congress of Entomology: The ICE 2016 Journey". American Entomologist. 64 (1): 32–43. doi:10.1093/ae/tmy008. hdl:11572/382549. ISSN 1046-2821.
  32. "Insect Olfaction and Taste in 24 Hours Around the Globe". Entomological Society of Canada. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  33. "National Academy of Sciences Elects Members and International Members". www.nasonline.org. April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  34. "UC Davis Distinguished Professor Walter Leal Selected Honorary Member of ESA". ANR Blogs. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  35. "Walter Leal Receives Academic Senate's Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award". ANR Blogs. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  36. Garvey, Kathy Keatley (February 24, 2020). "Distinguished Professor Walter Leal Wins 2020 Distinguished Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching". College of Biological Sciences. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  37. "PBESA Award Winners Honored in Virtual Ceremony". ANR Blogs. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  38. "Founders' Memorial Award Recipients". www.entsoc.org. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  39. "Walter Leal Selected Fellow of National Academy of Inventors". ANR Blogs. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  40. Jones, Dave (October 13, 2015). "Walter Leal Elected to California Academy of Sciences". College of Biological Sciences. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  41. "Professor Walter Leal". Royal Entomological Society. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  42. "Walter Leal Elected to Brazilian Academy of Sciences". University of California, Davis. December 11, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  43. "Equivalent to an Olympic Gold Medal". ANR Blogs. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  44. "Winners of the Nan-Yao Su Award for Innovation and Creativity in Entomology". Entomological Society of America. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  45. "Walter S. Leal, ESA Fellow (2009)". www.entsoc.org. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  46. "Walter Leal has a nose for insects' sense of smell | American Association for the Advancement of Science". www.aaas.org. Retrieved October 27, 2022.

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