Feng B, Lin X, Zheng K, Qian K, Chang Y, Du Y. Transcriptome and expression profiling analysis link patterns of gene expression to antennal responses in Spodoptera litura.
BMC Genomics 2015;
16:269. [PMID:
25887537 PMCID:
PMC4502548 DOI:
10.1186/s12864-015-1375-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
The study of olfaction is key to understanding the interaction of
insects with their environment and provides opportunities to develop novel
tactics for control of pest species. Recent developments in transcriptomic
approaches enable the molecular basis of olfaction to be studied even in species
with limited genomic information. Here we use transcriptome and expression
profiling analysis to characterize the antennal transcriptome of the noctuid
moth and polyphagous pest Spodoptera
litura.
Results
We identify 74 candidate genes involved in odor detection and
recognition, encoding 26 ORs, 21 OBPs, 18 CSPs and 9 IRs. We examine their
expression levels in both sexes and seek evidence for their function by relating
their expression with levels of EAG response in male and female antennae to 58
host and non-host plant volatiles and sex pheromone components. The majority of
olfactory genes showed sex-biased expression, usually male-biased in ORs. A link
between OR gene expression and antennal responses to odors was evident, a third
of the compounds tested evoking a sex-biased response, in every case also
male-biased. Two candidate pheromone receptors, OR14 and OR23 were especially
strongly expressed and male-biased and we suggest that these may respond to the
two female sex pheromone components of S.
litura, Z9E11-14:OAc and Z9E12-14:OAc, which evoked strongly
male-biased EAG responses.
Conclusions
Our results provide the molecular basis for elucidating the
olfactory profile of moths and the sexual divergence of their behavior and could
enable the targeting of particular genes, and behaviors for pest
management.
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1375-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized
users.
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