Candidate olfaction genes identified within the Helicoverpa armigera Antennal Transcriptome

PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e48260. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048260. Epub 2012 Oct 26.

Abstract

Antennal olfaction is extremely important for insect survival, mediating key behaviors such as host preference, mate choice, and oviposition site selection. Multiple antennal proteins are involved in olfactory signal transduction pathways. Of these, odorant receptors (ORs) and ionotropic receptors (IRs) confer specificity on olfactory sensory neuron responses. In this study, we identified the olfactory gene repertoire of the economically important agricultural pest moth, Helicoverpa armigera, by assembling the adult male and female antennal transcriptomes. Within the male and female antennal transcriptomes we identified a total of 47 OR candidate genes containing 6 pheromone receptor candidates. Additionally, 12 IR genes as well as 26 odorant-binding proteins and 12 chemosensory proteins were annotated. Our results allow a systematic functional analysis across much of conventional ORs repertoire and newly reported IRs mediating the key olfaction-mediated behaviors of H. armigera.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthropod Antennae / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Moths / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Odorant / metabolism
  • Smell / genetics*
  • Transcriptome / genetics

Substances

  • Insect Proteins
  • Receptors, Odorant

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31071752) and the China National “973” Basic Research Program (2012CB114104). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.