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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308486
Title: Male- and female-biased gene expression of olfactory-related genes in the antennae of Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Author
item ZHANG, TIAN-TAO - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item Coates, Brad
item GE, XIANG - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item BAI, SHUXIONG - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item HE, KANG-LAI - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item WANG, ZHENYING - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/28/2015
Publication Date: 6/10/2015
Citation: Zhang, T., Coates, B.S., Ge, X., Bai, S., He, K., Wang, Z. 2015. Male- and female-biased gene expression of olfactory-related genes in the antennae of Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). PLoS One. 10(6):e0128550. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0128550.

Interpretive Summary: Species of corn borer are highly destructive insect pests of corn in North America, Europe, China and Southeast Asia. Many species have recently evolved in this group of insects, and mechanisms by which species become differentiated are important for understanding adaptation to crop production practices. An ARS scientist and collaborators sequenced all genes that are expressed in corn borer male and female antennae. A subset of these genes include odor receptors and odor binding proteins that specifically interact to control behaviors such as mate attraction and host plant selection. Differences in expression of these genes are important in understanding how mates are attracted as well as how females choose host plant. Understanding these biological processes at the molecular level may lead to control tactics that disrupt these biologically important interactions.

Technical Abstract: The Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), is a destructive pest insect of cultivated corn crops, for which antennal-expressed receptors are important to detect olfactory cues for mate attraction and oviposition. Non-normalized male and female O. furnacalis antennal cDNA libraries were sequenced and assembled into a reference transcriptome. Functional gene annotations identified putative olfactory-related genes; 56 odorant receptors (ORs), 23 odorant binding proteins (OBPs), and 10 CSPs. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses indicated male antennae-specific expression of OfurOR3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 transcripts, whereas OfurOR17 and 18 were specially expressed in female antennae. RNA-seq estimates of gene expression respectively showed up- and down-regulation of 79 and 30 genes in female compared to male antennae, which included upregulation of 8 ORs and 1 PBP gene in male antennae as well as 3 ORs in female antennae. Sex-biases gene expression described here provides important insight in gene functionalization, and provides candidate genes putatively involved in environmental perception, host plant attraction, and mate recognition.