Comparative analyses of odorant binding protein orthologues in three sympatric Tomicus bark beetles provide insights into functional differentiation of OBPs to ecologically relevant odorants and insecticides.

Three Tomicus bark beetles (T. yunnanensis, T. brevipilosus and T.

Functional characterization of four antenna-enriched odorant binding proteins in Rhaphuma horsfieldi reveals the importance of RhorOBP1 in odorant recognition and insecticide resistance.

The cerambycid beetles are key players for the sustenance of biodiversity in the forest ecosystem, but in most cases are well known due to their harmfulness to agricultural and forest plants. Here, we characterized the odorant binding protein (OBP) gene family in Rhaphuma horsfieldi, emphasizing the roles of RhorOBP1 in odorant reception and insecticide sequestering. A homology-based search led to the identification of 35 RhorOBP genes with a major distribution in the Minus-C OBPs clade (21/35 genes).

A Female-Biased Chemosensory Protein PxutCSP19 in the Antennae of Tuned to Host Volatiles and Insecticides.

Chemosensory protein (CSP) genes significantly enriched in the female antennae are potential molecular candidates for mediating female oviposition behaviors. In this study, we presented the interaction mechanisms of a female-antenna-biased PxutCSP19 in to 47 host volatiles, four biopesticides and 24 synthetic insecticides. Using a bioinformatics-based homology search, 22 genes orthologous to PxutCSP19 were identified from 22 other butterflies with high sequence identities to each other (73.

Candidate membrane protein gene families related to chemoreception in a wood-boring beetle, Pharsalia antennata Gahan (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

The longhorned beetles are key players for the maintenance of biodiversity in the terrestrial ecosystem. As xylophagous cerambycid insects in Coleoptera, the beetles have evolved specialized olfactory and gustatory systems to recognize chemical cues in the surrounding habitats. Despite over 36,000 described species in the Cerambycidae family including a wood-boring pest Pharsalia antennata, only a limited number of them (<1 %) have been characterized regarding their chemical ecology at the molecular level.

Three chemosensory proteins enriched in antennae and tarsi of Rhaphuma horsfieldi differentially contribute to the binding of insecticides.

Antennae and legs (primarily the tarsal segments) of insects are the foremost sensory organs that contact a diverse range of toxic chemicals including insecticides. Binding proteins expressed in the two tissues are potential molecular candidates serving as the binding and sequestering of insecticides, like chemosensory proteins (CSPs). Insect CSPs endowed with multiple roles have been suggested to participate in insecticide resistance, focusing mainly on moths, aphids and mosquitos.

Functional characterization of four antenna-biased chemosensory proteins in Dioryctria abietella reveals a broadly tuned olfactory DabiCSP1 and its key residues in ligand-binding.

The orientation of the oligophagous cone-feeding moth Dioryctria abietella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to host plants primarily relies on olfactory-related proteins, particularly those candidates highly expressed in antennae. Here, through a combination of expression profile, ligand-binding assay, molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis strategies, we characterized the chemosensory protein (CSP) gene family in D. abietella.

Phenolic Acids and Flavonoids Play Important Roles in Flower Bud Differentiation in : Transcriptomics and Metabolomics.

is a highly invasive vine, and its ability to sexually reproduce is a major obstacle to its eradication. The long-distance dissemination of depends on the distribution of seeds; therefore, inhibiting flowering and seed production is an effective control strategy. The number of blooms of differs at different altitudes (200, 900, and 1300 m).

Comparative transcriptomics reveals the conservation and divergence of reproductive genes across three sympatric Tomicus bark beetles.

Three tree-killing bark beetles belonging to the genus Tomicus, Tomicus yunnanensis, Tomicus brevipilosus and Tomicus minor (Coleoptera; Curculionidae, Scolytinae), are serious wood-borers with larvae feeding on the phloem tissues of Pinus yunnanensis. The three Tomicus beetles, in some cases, coexist in a same habitat, providing a best system for exploring the conservation and divergence of reproductive genes. Here, we applied comparative transcriptomics and molecular biology approaches to characterize reproductive-related genes in three sympatric Tomicus species.

High-quality chromosome-level scaffolds of the plant bug Pachypeltis micranthus provide insights into the availability of Mikania micrantha control.

Background: The plant bug, Pachypeltis micranthus Mu et Liu (Hemiptera: Miridae), is an effective potential biological control agent for Mikania micrantha H.B.K.

Expression profile and functional characterization of odorant binding proteins in a forest pest, Dioryctria abietella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

In the forest ecosystem dominated by the Pinaceae plants, this boring pest Dioryctria abietella is subject to a variety of odorants derived from host and nonhost plants, in which olfactory-related proteins enriched in antennae are key behavioral modulators for the orientation of feeding and ovipositing hosts. Here, we addressed the odorant binding protein (OBP) gene family in D. abietella.

Two Antenna-Enriched Odorant Binding Proteins in Dioryctria abietella Tuned to General Odorants and Insecticides.

The management of forest pests has become a significant challenge, particularly for wood borers, because they spend most of the time in the trunks or cones. The coneworm, Dioryctria abietella, is a representative of cone borers as its larvae feed on the cones of Pinaceae plants. The molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between this species and host plants or habitats can assist in developing strategies for pest control.

Identification and characterization of candidate detoxification genes in Gahan (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

The wood-boring beetles, including the majority of Cerambycidae, have developed the ability to metabolize a variety of toxic compounds derived from host plants and the surrounding environment. However, detoxification mechanisms underlying the evolutionary adaptation of a cerambycid beetle to hosts and habitats are largely unexplored. Here, we characterized three key gene families in relation to detoxification (cytochrome P450 monooxygenases: P450s, carboxylesterases: COEs and glutathione-S-transferases: GSTs), by combinations of transcriptomics, gene identification, phylogenetics and expression profiles.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Odorant and Gustatory Receptors in Six Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae).

The chemical interactions of insects and host plants are shaping the evolution of chemosensory receptor gene families. However, the correlation between host range and chemoreceptor gene repertoire sizes is still elusive in Papilionidae. Here, we addressed the issue of whether host plant diversities are correlated with the expansions of odorant (ORs) or gustatory (GRs) receptors in six butterflies.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Odorant-Binding Proteins in with Focus on the Perception of Two PxutGOBPs to Host Odorants and Insecticides.

In this study, we annotated 49 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) in , with four novel genes and seven improved sequences. Expression profiles identified numerous OBPs in antennae or reproductive tissues. Using two antenna-enriched general OBPs (PxutGOBP1 and PxutGOBP2) as targets, we screened three key compounds by a reverse chemical ecology strategy.

Chemosensory Proteins (CSPs) in the Cotton Bollworm .

Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are a family of small, soluble proteins that play a crucial role in transporting odorant and pheromone molecules in the insect chemosensory system. Recent studies reveal that they also function in development, nutrient metabolism and insecticide resistance. In-depth and systematic characterization of previously unknown CSPs will be valuable to investigate more detailed functionalities of this protein family.

Transcriptome analysis identifies candidate genes in the biosynthetic pathway of sex pheromones from a zygaenid moth, (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae).

In most moth species, sex pheromones responsible for mating and communication of both sexes are primarily produced by the pheromone glands (PGs) of female moths. Although the PG transcriptomes and pheromone production related genes from 24 moth species have been characterized, studies on the related information remain unknown in the Zygaenidae family. Here, we sequenced the PG transcriptome of a zygaenid moth, .

Corrigendum: Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly Reveals Signifificant Gene Expansion in the Toll and IMD Signaling Pathways of .

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.

Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly Reveals Significant Gene Expansion in the Toll and IMD Signaling Pathways of .

A high-quality genome is of significant value when seeking to control forest pests such as , a destructive member of the order Lepidoptera that is widespread in China. Herein, a high quality, chromosome-level reference genome for based on Nanopore, Pacbio HiFi sequencing and the Hi-C capture system is presented. Overall, a final genome assembly of 705.

Transcriptomic Characterization of Odorant Binding Proteins in and Their Association with Different Host Emitted Volatiles.

This study characterized the transcriptome of and explored odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and their interaction with host-specific compounds. A total of 36 samples from six different organs including antennae, head, thorax, abdomen, wings, and legs (12 groups with 3 replicates per group) from both male and female insects were collected for RNA extraction. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a total of 89,897 transcripts as unigenes, with an average length of 1036 bp.

Identification and expression profiling of chemosensory membrane protein genes in Achelura yunnanensis (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae).

During the past decade, antennal transcriptome sequencing has been applied to at least 50 species from 16 families of the Lepidoptera order of insects, emphasizing the identification and characterization of chemosensory-related genes. However, little is known about the chemosensory genes in the Zygaenidae family of Lepidoptera. Herein, we report the transmembrane protein gene repertoires involved in chemoreception from Achelura yunnanensis (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae) through transcriptome sequencing, bioinformatics, phylogenetics and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approaches.

Combined transcriptomic, proteomic and genomic analysis identifies reproductive-related proteins and potential modulators of female behaviors in Spodoptera litura.

The common cutworm, Spodoptera litura, is a polyandrous moth with high reproductive ability. Sexual reproduction is a unique strategy for survival and reproduction of population in this species. However, to date available information about its reproductive genes is rare.

Exogenous phytohormone application and transcriptome analysis of Mikania micrantha provides insights for a potential control strategy.

Effective and complete control of the invasive weed Mikania micrantha is required to avoid increasing damages. We exogenously applied indole 3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellin (GA), and N-(2-Chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'-phenylurea (CPPU), and their combinations i.e.

The ionotropic receptor gene family in Lepidoptera and Trichoptera: Annotation, evolutionary and functional perspectives.

Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) and Trichoptera (caddisflies), belonging to the superorder Amphiesmenoptera, are the most diverse insect orders as representatives of the terrestrial and aquatic insects, respectively. The insects of the two orders possess different biological and behavioral characteristics, especially their larvae, presumably resulting in the differences of the ionotropic receptor (IR) genes in numbers, sequence characteristics or gene structure. Here, we employed genomics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, phylogenetics and molecular biology strategies to characterize the IR gene repertoire in Lepidoptera and Trichoptera.

Genome-based analysis reveals a novel SNMP group of the Coleoptera and chemosensory receptors in Rhaphuma horsfieldi.

Through an exhaustive homology-based approach, coupled with manual efforts, we annotated and characterized 128 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) from genomes and transcriptomes of 22 coleopteran species, with 107 novel candidates. Remarkably, we discovered, for the first time, a novel SNMP group, defined as Group 4 based on the phylogeny, sequence characteristics, gene structure and organization. The lineage-specific expansions in SNMPs occurred mainly in the family Scarabaeidae, harboring 12 representatives in Onthophagus taurus as a typical gene duplication and the most massive set of SNMPs in insects to date.