Identification and Expression Analysis of Candidate Odorant-Binding Protein and Chemosensory Protein Genes by Antennal Transcriptome of Sitobion avenae
August
Identification and Expression Analysis of Candidate Odorant-Binding Protein and Chemosensory Protein Genes by Antennal Transcriptome of Sitobion avenae
Wenxin Xue 0 1
Jia Fan 0 1
Yong Zhang 0 1
Qingxuan Xu 0 1
Zongli Han 0 1
Jingrui Sun 0 1
Julian Chen 0 1
0 The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing, 100193 , China
1 Editor: J Joe Hull, USDA Agricultural Research Service , UNITED STATES
Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) of aphids are thought to be responsible for the initial molecular interactions during olfaction that mediate detection of chemical signals. Analysis of the diversity of proteins involved comprises critical basic research work that will facilitate the development of sustainable pest control strategies. To help us better understand differences in the olfactory system between winged and wingless grain aphids, we constructed an antennal transcriptome from winged and wingless Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), one of the most serious pests of cereal fields worldwide. Among the 133,331 unigenes in the antennal assembly, 13 OBP and 5 CSP putative transcripts were identified with 6 OBP and 3 CSP sequences representing new S. avenae annotations. We used qPCR to examine the expression profile of these genes sets across S. avenae development and in various tissues. We found 7 SaveOBPs and 1 SaveCSP were specifically or significantly elevated in antennae compared with other tissues, and that some transcripts (SaveOBP8, SaveCSP2 and SaveCSP5) were abundantly expressed in the legs of winged or wingless aphids. The expression levels of the SaveOBPs and SaveCSPs varied depending on the developmental stage. Possible physiological functions of these genes are discussed. Further molecular and functional studies of these olfactory related genes will explore their potential as novel targets for controlling S. avenae.
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Introduction
The grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) is one of the most important pests of gramineous
crops [
1
]. Damage from their sucking plant sap slows plant growth and reduces the number of
tillers, severely diminishing the yield and quality of wheat [
2
]. In recent years, global climate
warming, farming system changes and other factors have contributed to significant
enhancement in the reproductive capacity and adaptability of this pest, resulting in great crop damage
[
3
]. Therefore, research on environmentally safe prevention and control strategies for
contributed to the writing of the manuscript, 3. The
Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation
Program (ASTIP). JLCH conceived and designed the
experiments and made decision to publish, 4. The
National Science and Technology Major Project
(http://www.nmp.gov.cn/) 2014ZX0800201B. JF
conceived and designed the experiments and
contributed to the writing of the manuscript, and 5.
Cooperation Project between China and Belgium
from Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
(http://www.istcp.org.cn/) 2014DFG32270. JLCH
conceived and designed the experiments and
decision to publish.
widespread use is extremely important [
4, 5
]. Detailed analysis of the S. avenae chemical
sensing system can provide insights into aphid olfactory physiology and the molecular mechanisms
used to detect semiochemicals. These insights into the chemoreception mechanism of aphids
could aid in developing novel olfactory-based control strategies, such as repellents or
attractants developing, and provide additional candidate genes for targeted disruption, which could
interfere with both plant-aphid interactions and aphid responses of aphid to the external
environment.
For aphids, olfaction plays an important role in distinguishing host plant volatiles from
other environmental volatiles [
6
]. Antennae, which are largely the physiological basis for insect
chemical ecology, are one of the principle organs that aphids use to recognize chemical
information in the environment. Many olfactory-related proteins are responsible for discerning
chemical information and regulating and controlling aphid behaviors such as selecting hosts
and avoiding natural enemies [
7–11
]. A variety of odor-related proteins, such as
odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), chemosensory proteins (CSPs), odorant receptors (ORs), sensory neuron
membrane proteins (SNMPs) and odorant degrading enzymes (ODEs), contribute to the
initiation of olfactory perception in insects. OBPs and CSPs, which are water-soluble, globular
proteins that are concentrated (as high as 10 mM) in the sensillum lymph of insect antennae [
12–
17
], are thought to provide the initial molecular interactions for chemical signals
(semiochemicals) and to ferry the semiochemical molecules through the antennal sensillum lymph to the
olfactory receptors (ORs).
Since the first insect OBP was identified from the antennae of male Antheraea polyphemus
in 1981 [
(...truncated)