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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #276990
Title: Construction and analysis of cDNA libraries from the antennae of Batocera horsfieldi and expression pattern of putative odorant binding proteins

Author
item LI, HUI - Huazhong Agricultural University
item Zhang, Aijun
item WANG, MAN-QUN - Huazhong Agricultural University
item ZHANG, GUOAN - Huazhong Agricultural University

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/2012
Publication Date: 4/19/2014
Citation: Li, H., Zhang, A., Wang, M., Zhang, G. 2014. Construction and analysis of cDNA libraries from the antennae of Batocera horsfieldi and expression pattern of putative odorant binding proteins. Journal of Insect Science. 14(57):1-15.

Interpretive Summary: The longhorned beetle is a major forest-boring insect that damages many trees worldwide. Longhorned beetles can locate host trees and mates from distances by detecting chemical signals through their antennae. In a collaborative effort, we measured and identified four new proteins involved in detecting chemical signals, called odorant binding proteins, from one species of longhorned beetle that is widely distributed in China. The exact function of these odorant binding proteins in the longhorned beetle is still unknown, but the results of this study suggest they function in host tree location for both sexes; and for egg-laying in adult females. These findings add to our understandings of the mechanism of chemical perception of host plant odor in insect communication systems, which will be used by researchers and growers to develop more effective insect pest management strategies.

Technical Abstract: In the natural environment, the longhorned beetle, Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), finds it’s maturation-feeding and host plants by using chemical cues. In this study, we described the identification and characterization of four new cDNAs that encode Minus-C odorant binding proteins (Minus-C OBPs) from B. horsfieldi antennal cDNA libraries. Our investigation focused on the expression pattern of the Minus-C OBP genes in various tissues, including both sexes and developmental stages using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR strategies. Our research results indicated that four types of cDNAs, including Minus-C OBP1, 2, 3, and 4, were expressed in all olfactory and non-olfactory tissues tested, with the exception of Minus-C OBP1, 2, and 3, in the de-antennated head and Minus-C OBP4 in the gustatory system (labial palps, maxillary palps), and head. By using real-time quantitative PCR, we demonstrated that the Minus-C OBPs were expressed in the antennae throughout adult life, but the transcript levels of these genes depended on the sex, age, and mating status of adults. Although the exact physiological function of these Minus-C OBPs is still unknown, but the results of this study may suggest function of Minus-C OBPs for host tree location in both sexes; and for oviposition in adult female B. horsfieldi. These findings add to our understandings of the mechanism of chemical perception of host plant odor in insect communication.